J. A. Rambukpota

Hon. Justin Arthur Rambukpota
Member of Parliament for Haputale
In office 1947–1952
Preceded by	seat created
Succeeded by	Wilfred A. Ratwatte
Member of Parliament for Alutnuwara
In office 1952–1955
Preceded by	D. Ramanujam
Succeeded by	E. B. Dimbulane
Personal details
Born	(1891-01-01)1 January 1891
Died	3 March 1955(1955-03-03) (aged 64)
Alma mater	Uva College, Trinity College, Kandy, Government School of Agriculture, Gannoruwa Peradeniya

Seneviratne Mudiyanselage Justin Arthur Rambukpota (1 January 1891 – 3 March 1955) was a Ceylonese politician.^[1][2]

Rambukpota's older brother, George Charles (1894 – ?), was a proctor of the Supreme Court and in 1931 was elected unopposed as the member of the State Council of Ceylon for Bibile.^[3][4]

He received his education at Uva College, Trinity College, Kandy and the Government School of Agriculture at Gannoruwa Peradeniya, where he was one of the first batch of students qualifying as an Agricultural Instructor.^[5] Rambukpota officiated as a member of the Agricultural Board and was the chairman of the Badulla District Paddy Growers Association. By 1919 he was officiating as the Rate Mahatmaya of Wellawassa and Wellawaya.^[6]

In March 1944 Rambukpota ran for a seat on the State Council but was defeated by S. A. Peeris, he ran again in October but was defeated by W. Dahanayake.^[7]

At the 1st parliamentary election, held on 16 September 1947, Rambukpota contested the Haputale electorate, as the United National Party candidate. He narrowly won by 371 votes, with the other three Tamil candidates equally sharing the electorate's predominantly Tamil votes.^[8][9]

Rambukpota went on to contest the seat of Alutnuwara at the 2nd parliamentary election held between 24 May 1952 and 30 May 1952, where he polled 50.94% of the total vote, 2,780 votes ahead of his nearest rival.^[10]

Rambukpota died whilst still in office on 3 March 1955.

References

1. "Hon. Rambukpota, Seneviratne Mudiyanselage Justin Arthur, M.P." Parliament of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
2. Members of the Legislatures of Ceylon: 1931-1972. Library, National State Assembly. 1972. p. 164.
3. Munasinghe, M. Sarath K. "Political clergymen of the past". The Island. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
4. Members of the Legislatures of Ceylon: 1931-1972. Library, National State Assembly. 1972. p. 172.
5. "Report of the Director of Agriculture". Krṣikarma Depārtamēntuva. 1911: 17. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
6. Wright, Arnold, ed. (1999). Twentieth Century Impressions of Ceylon: Its History, People, Commerce, Industries, and Resources. Asian Educational Services. pp. 904–905. ISBN 9788120613355.
7. Russell, Jane (1982). "The Ceylon Historical Journal". Communal Politics Under the Donoughmore Constitution 1931-1947. 26: 197.
8. "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1947" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 5 October 2017.^{[permanent dead link‍]}
9. Caumiyamūrtti Toṇṭaimāṉ (1994). My Life and Times: An Autobiography, Volume 2. Media Council, Ceylon Worker's Congress. p. 44. ISBN 9788170131151.
10. "Result of Parliamentary General Election 1952" (PDF). Department of Elections, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 4 October 2017.^{[permanent dead link‍]}

Further reading

• Madugalle, Sunil J. (2005). Four Kandyan Families: From the Maha Disawani of Matale, Uva, and Dumbara Pasrata : a Genealogical Study Within the Historical Background and the Geographical Spread of the Kandyan Kingdom (1600-1815) 1600-2000. Vijitha Yapa Publications. ISBN 9789551266004.