Richard Gregory Samaranayake (12 November 1923 - 18 June 1992) was a Ceylonese planter and politician.^[1][2]

Richard Gregory Samaranayake was born on 12 November 1923, the eldest son of Hettiarachchige Don Saman Samaranayake of Mirigama. He was educated at Royal College, Colombo. He possesses a Diploma in Agriculture.

He contested the 4th parliamentary election, held on 19 March 1960, as the United National Party candidate in the newly created electorate of Bentara-Elpitiya. He defeated the Mahajana Eksath Peramuna candidate, Albert Kariyawasam, by 592 votes.^[3] At the subsequent 5th parliamentary election, held on 20 July 1960, Samaranayake lost to Kariyawasam, who now represented the Sri Lanka Freedom Party by 5,987 votes.^[4]

At the 6th parliamentary elections, held on 22 March 1965, Samaranayake received 22,085 votes (49% of the total vote) defeating the sitting member, Kariyawasam, by 5,987 votes.^[5][6] In November 1965 an Election Judge ruled the election result void, on the grounds that a sub-agent of Samaranayake, Soma Withanachchi, made false and misleading statements (allegations of bribery by Kariyawasam) at a election campaign meeting on 5 March 1965. A subsequent appeal by Samaranayake was dismissed on 1 August 1966 and the original decision was upheld.^[7] At the subsequent parliamentary by-election, held on 24 October 1966, his brother, Colin Wijesekera, ran in his place but was defeated by Kariyawasam by 1,677 votes.^[8][9]

Samaranayake married Irene Jirasinghe, the daughter of Reggie F. Jirasinghe and D. C. Wijesundere, they had two children.

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