LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL GENERAL ELECTION 1951
The British Secretary-of-State for the Colonies approved a proposal to increase the number of nationally-elected seats by three, upping the overall seats from 22 to 25. Also approved was the proposal by political parties to carve the two dual-seat municipal constituencies in line with the boundaries of the six municipal districts comprising of Balestier (North), Keppel (South), Katong (East) and Tanglin (West) and re-demarcate the two rural wards into three. PP's main political opponent in the municipal elections, LP, entered the legislative fray. The composition of the remaining 16 seats would stay status quo. After the polls, war heroine Mrs Elizabeth Choy was appointed into one of the four nominated Unofficial Council seats, becoming the first and only woman in the Council. Well-known Malay politician Mansoor bin Adabi, the husband of the young Dutch woman Maria Bertha Hertogh (also known as Natra binte Maarof) whose parentage controversy and a court verdict sparked a racial riot in Singapore a year ago, was slated to contest Bukit Timah under the PP ticket. However, he withdrew his nomination at the last hour for unknown reasons. The campaign manager of PP vice-chairman John Laycock was Lee Kuan Yew, a legal assistant in Laycock's law firm. Voting was again not compulsory and the privilege of only certain citizens.
Old Council dissolved: 16 February 1951 [Fri]
Nomination day: 8 March 1951 [Thu]
Polling day: 10 April 1951 [Tue]
New Council opening: 17 April 1951 [Tue]
Registered voters: 48,155
Voter turnout: 25,065 (52.1%)
Election deposit: $500
Chambers of Commerce
Nomination day: 2 March 1951 [Fri] (CCC & ICC)
Nomination day: 6 March 1951 [Tue] (SCC)
Polling day: 15 March 1951 [Thu] (ICC)
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