Ethnic violence broke out in Port Louis between Muslims, Creoles and Chinese.

Anti-riot police used tear gas to restore peace.

[1][2] The result was a victory for the Independence Party, an alliance of the Labour Party, Independent Forward Bloc and Comité d'Action Musulman, which won 43 of the 70 seats,[3] allowing Labour leader and incumbent Prime Minister Seewoosagur Ramgoolam to form a government.

[4] The voting system created twenty constituencies on Mauritius, which each elected three members.

Two seats were elected by residents of Rodrigues, and eight seats were filled by a system known as "best losers" whereby the electoral commission would appoint eight unsuccessful candidates to ensure that ethnic minorities were fairly represented.