M. W. R. de Silva

{{Short description|Sri Lankan lawyer (born 1900)}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}

{{EngvarB|date= July 2018}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|honorific-prefix = Hon.

|name = M. W. R. de Silva

|native_name =

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|image =

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|constituency_MP = Gampola

|parliament = Ceylon

|term_start = 1952

|term_end = 1956

|predecessor = R. S. Pelpola

|successor = R. S. Pelpola

|office2 = Deputy Chairman of Committees

|term_start2 = 9 June 1952

|term_end2 = 18 February 1956

|predecessor2 = T. Ramalingam

|successor2 = R. S. Pelpola

|birth_name = Manikka Wadu Richard de Silva

|birth_date = {{Birth date|1900|11|18|df=yes}}

|birth_place = Ambalangoda, Ceylon

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|party = United National Party

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|children = Iranee (daughter){{cite news|url=http://www.sundaytimes.lk/160807/plus/appreciations-2-203371.html|title=Padmasiri Silva - My cousin, a man with a caring nature and open house|newspaper=The Sunday Times|date=7 August 2016|access-date=19 July 2018}}

|residence =

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|occupation = Lawyer, politician

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}}

Manikka Wadu Richard de Silva (18 November 1900 - ?) was a Ceylonese

lawyer and politician.{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.lk/en/component/members/viewMember/2167?Itemid=206|title=Hon. de Silva, Manikka Wadu Richard, M.P.|publisher=Parliament of Sri Lanka|access-date=5 July 2018}}{{cite journal|title=Members of the Legislatures of Sri Lanka, 1931-83: Record of Service|author= Library of Parliament|date=1983|page=46}}

Manikka Wadu Richard de Silva was born on 18 November 1900 in Ambalangoda, Ceylon.{{cite book|title=Same Sky, Different Nights|publisher=Author House|author =Jasentuliyana, Nandasiri|date=2016|isbn=9781524600419}} He served as the president of Youth Buddhist Association of Gampola,{{cite web|url=http://www.jinaraja.com/history-of-jinaraja-college.php|title=History of Jinaraja College|publisher=Jinaraja College|access-date=19 July 2018}} and in 1942 was a founding member of the Law Society of Ceylon.{{cite web|url=http://www.chilawcoreas.com/viewprofiles.php?profid=61|title=Shirley Corea|publisher=The Corea Family|access-date=19 July 2018}}

De Silva ran as the United National Party candidate in the seat of Gampola at the 2nd parliamentary election, held between 24 May 1952 and 30 May 1952. He successfully defeated both the Sri Lanka Freedom Party candidate, P. M. Jayasena, and the sitting member, R. S. Pelpola, polling 7,950 votes (43% of the total vote) against their 5,313 votes and 2,352 votes respectively.{{cite web|url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/web/images/pdf/general-election-results/general-election-1952.pdf|title=Result of Parliamentary General Election 1952|publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka|access-date=19 July 2018}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} He was subsequently elected Deputy Chairman of Committees, a position he retained until February 1956.{{cite journal|title=Parliamentary Debates Volume 12, Issues 21-31|publisher=Parliament of Ceylon|date=1952|page=17}}{{cite web|url=http://www.parliament.lk/en/deputy-chairman-of-committees|title=Deputy Chairman of Committees|publisher=Parliament of Sri Lanka|access-date=19 June 2018}}

He contested the 3rd parliamentary election, held between 5 April 1956 and 10 April 1956, but failed to retain his seat, losing to Pelpola, who ran as the Sri Lanka Freedom Party candidate, 4,302 votes to 13,143 votes.{{cite web|url=http://www.slelections.gov.lk/web/images/pdf/general-election-results/general-election-1956.pdf|title=Result of Parliamentary General Election 1956|publisher=Department of Elections, Sri Lanka|access-date=19 July 2018}}{{Dead link|date=March 2020 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}