Prime Minister Of Sri Lanka: Head of government of Sri Lanka
The Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sinhala: ශ්රී ලංකා අග්රාමාත්ය Śrī Laṃkā agrāmāthya; Tamil: இலங்கை பிரதமர்) is the most senior member of parliament in the cabinet of ministers in Sri Lanka.
They are in charge for their policies and actions to parliament. The President is both head of state and head of government in Sri Lanka. Since 1978, most prime ministers have served as mere deputies to the executive presidency, while at times served as the de-facto head of government.
| Prime Minister of Sri Lanka ශ්රී ලංකා අග්රාමාත්ය இலங்கை பிரதமர் | |
|---|---|
 Emblem of Sri Lanka | |
 | |
| Style |
|
| Member of |
|
| Reports to | Parliament |
| Residence | Temple Trees |
| Seat | Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte |
| Nominator | Parliament of Sri Lanka |
| Appointer | President of Sri Lanka |
| Term length | Five years |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka |
| Precursor | Leader of the House, State Council of Ceylon |
| Inaugural holder | Don Stephen Senanayake |
| Formation | 14 October 1947 |
| Succession | First in the presidential line of succession |
| Salary | LKR 858,000 annually (2016) |
| Website | Prime Minister's Office |
List of prime ministers
- Parties
United National Party Sri Lanka Freedom Party Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna
| No. | Portrait | Name (Birth–Death) Constituency/Title | Term of office — Electoral mandates | Other ministerial offices held while Prime Minister | Political party of PM (Alliance) | Government | Refs | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | .jpg) | DS Senanayake දොන් ස්ටීවන් සේනානායක டான் ஸ்டீபன் சேனாநாயக்க (1883–1952) Mirigama | 24 September 1947 | 22 March 1952 | Minister of External Affairs and Defence | United National Party | D. S. Senanayake | 3rd | ||
| 1947 | ||||||||||
| The first Prime Minister of Ceylon. The country gained independence from United Kingdom during his term of office. | ||||||||||
| 2 | .jpg) | Dudley Senanayake ඩඩ්ලි සේනානායක டட்லி சேனநாயக்கா (1911–1973) Dedigama | 26 March 1952 | 12 October 1953 | Minister of External Affairs and Defence Minister of Agriculture & Lands & Minister of Health & Local Government | United National Party | Dudley Senanayake I | 3rd 4th | ||
| 1952 | ||||||||||
| Appointed as Prime Minister following the death of his father, D. S. Senanayake. His party won at the general elections held in June 1952, and he continued in the office without a re-appointment. Dudley Senanayake resigned in 1953. | ||||||||||
| 3 | .jpg) | Sir John Kotelawala ශ්රිමත් ජෝන් කොතලාවල சேர் ஜோன் கொத்தலாவலை CH, KBE, KStJ, CLI (1897–1980) Dodangaslanda | 12 October 1953 | 12 April 1956 | Minister of External Affairs and Defence & Minister of Minister of Transport & Works | United National Party | Kotelawala | 4th | ||
| — | ||||||||||
| Sri Lanka joined the United Nations under the leadership of Kotelawala. | ||||||||||
| 4 | .jpg) | S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike සොලමන් වෙස්ට් රිජ්වේ ඩයස් බණ්ඩාරනායක சாலமன் வெஸ்ட் ரிட்ஜ்வே டயஸ் பண்டாரநாயக்கா (1899–1959) Attanagalla | 12 April 1956 | 26 September 1959 | Minister of External Affairs and Defence | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike | 5th | ||
| 1956 | ||||||||||
| Bandaranaike changed the official language of the country from English to Sinhalese. He was assassinated before his term of office ended. | ||||||||||
| 5 |  | Wijeyananda Dahanayake විජයානන්ද දහනායක விஜயானந்த தகநாயக்கா (1902–1997) Galle | 26 September 1959 | 20 March 1960 | Minister of External Affairs and Defence | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Dahanayake | 5th | ||
| — | ||||||||||
| Dahanayake was appointed following the assassination of Bandaranaike. However, following disagreements with the members of his government and party, he was forced to dissolve the parliament. | ||||||||||
| (2) | | Dudley Senanayake ඩඩ්ලි සේනානායක டட்லி சேனநாயக்கா (1911–1973) Dedigama | 21 March 1960 | 21 July 1960 | Minister of External Affairs and Defence | United National Party | Dudley Senanayake II | 6th | ||
| March 1960 | ||||||||||
| Senanayake's government was defeated after one month. Senanayake continued to serve as Prime Minister until 21 July 1960. | ||||||||||
| 6 | _(Hon.Sirimavo_Bandaranaike_with_Hon.Lalith_Athulathmudali_Crop).jpg) | Sirimavo Bandaranayake සිරිමාවො රත්වත්තේ ඩයස් බණ්ඩාරනායක சிறிமா ரத்வத்தே டயஸ் பண்டாரநாயக்கே (1916–2000) | 21 July 1960 | 25 March 1965 | Minister of External Affairs and Defence | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Sirimavo Bandaranaike I | 7th | ||
| July 1960 | ||||||||||
| Sirimavo Bandaranaike was the world's first female prime minister. She was not a member of Parliament at the time of appointment, and was appointed to the Senate on 2 August 1960. | ||||||||||
| (2) | | Dudley Senanayake ඩඩ්ලි සේනානායක டட்லி சேனநாயக்கா (1911–1973) Dedigama | 25 March 1965 | 29 May 1970 | Minister of External Affairs and Defence | United National Party | Dudley Senanayake III | 8th | ||
| 1965 | ||||||||||
| Senanayake was elected Prime Minister for the third time, when his party formed a government with the help of six other parties, after an election which did not give a clear majority to any party. The agriculture sector was given high priority during his term of office. | ||||||||||
| (6) | | Sirimavo Bandaranayake සිරිමාවො රත්වත්තේ ඩයස් බණ්ඩාරනායක சிறிமா ரத்வத்தே டயஸ் பண்டாரநாயக்கே (1916–2000) Attanagalla | 29 May 1970 | 22 May 1972 | Minister of External Affairs and Defence & Minister of Planning & Employment | Sri Lanka Freedom Party | Sirimavo Bandaranaike II | 9th | ||
| 22 May 1972 | 23 July 1977 | 10th | ||||||||
| 1970 | ||||||||||
| Sirimavo Bandaranaike declared the country a republic, and its name was changed from Ceylon to Sri Lanka. Nationalized many companies in the plantation sector and imposed restrictions on several imports. This led to the downfall of the country's economy, and she was defeated in the general elections of 1977, with allegations of corruption which later led to her expulsion from Parliament. | ||||||||||
| 7 | .jpg) | Junius Richard Jayewardene ජුනියස් රිචඩ් ජයවර්ධන ஜூனியஸ் ரிச்சட் ஜயவர்தனா (1906–1996) Colombo West | 23 July 1977 | 4 February 1978 | Minister of Defence Minister of Planning & Economic Affairs & Minister of Plan Implementation | United National Party | Jayewardene | 11th | ||
| 1977 | ||||||||||
| Introduced the Executive Presidency in 1978, and assumed the position of President of Sri Lanka. | ||||||||||
| 8 | Ranasinghe Premadasa රණසිංහ ප්රේමදාස ரணசிங்க பிரேமதாசா (1924–1993) Colombo Central | 6 February 1978 | 2 January 1989 | Minister of Local Government, Housing & Construction | United National Party | Jayewardene | 11th 12th | |||
| — | ||||||||||
| Was the first Prime Minister to be appointed after the constitutional changes of 1978, with powers of the position reduced significantly. | ||||||||||
| 9 | Dingiri Banda Wijetunga ඩිංගිරි බණ්ඩා විජේතුංග டிங்கிரி பண்ட விஜேதுங்க (1916–2008) Kandy | 6 March 1989 | 7 May 1993 | Minister of Finance & Minister of Labour & Vocational Training | United National Party | Premadasa | 13th | |||
| 1989 | ||||||||||
| Was appointed in a surprise move by the then President, Ranasinghe Premadasa. Wijetunge himself reacted in surprise at the appointment. He resigned from the post on 28 March 1990, but was reappointed two days later, on 30 March 1990. | ||||||||||
| 10 |  | Ranil Wickremesinghe රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ ரணில் விக்ரமசிங்க (1949–) Gampaha | 7 May 1993 | 19 August 1994 | United National Party | Wijetunga | 13th | |||
| — | ||||||||||
| Appointed as the Prime Minister when Wijetunge was appointed as the President of Sri Lanka, following the assassination of the former President, Ranasinghe Premadasa. | ||||||||||
| 11 |  | Chandrika Kumaratunga චන්ද්රිකා බණ්ඩාරනායක කුමාරතුංග சந்திரிகா பண்டாரநாயக்கே குமாரதுங்கா (1945–) Gampaha | 19 August 1994 | 12 November 1994 | Sri Lanka Freedom Party (People's Alliance) | Wijetunga | 14th | |||
| 1994 | ||||||||||
| Served as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka for a short period, before contesting in the presidential elections in 1994 and being elected as president. | ||||||||||
| (6) | | Sirimavo Bandaranayake සිරිමාවො රත්වත්තේ ඩයස් බණ්ඩාරනායක சிறிமா ரத்வத்தே டயஸ் பண்டாரநாயக்கே (1916–2000) National List | 14 November 1994 | 9 August 2000 | Sri Lanka Freedom Party (People's Alliance) | Kumaratunga | 14th | |||
| — | ||||||||||
| Sirimavo Bandaranaike was appointed as the Prime Minister when Chandrika Kumaratunga was appointed as the President of Sri Lanka. She resigned in 2000. | ||||||||||
| 12 |  | Ratnasiri Wickremanayake රත්නසිරි වික්රමනායක ரத்னசிறி விக்கிரமநாயக்க (1933–2016) Kalutara | 10 August 2000 | 7 December 2001 | Sri Lanka Freedom Party (People's Alliance) | Kumaratunga | 14th 15th | |||
| 2000 | ||||||||||
| Wickremanayake assumed the office of the Prime Minister following the resignation of Sirimavo Bandaranaike. | ||||||||||
| (10) | | Ranil Wickremesinghe රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ ரணில் விக்ரமசிங்க (1949–) Colombo | 9 December 2001 | 6 April 2004 | United National Party | Kumaratunga | 16th | |||
| 2001 | ||||||||||
| Wickremesinghe's term of office ended early when the then president Chandrika Kumaratunga dismissed his government and called for a general election in 2004. | ||||||||||
| 13 |  | Mahinda Rajapaksa මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ மகிந்த ராசபக்ச (1945–) Hambantota | 6 April 2004 | 19 November 2005 | Ministry of Highways | Sri Lanka Freedom Party (United People's Freedom Alliance) | Kumaratunga | 17th | ||
| 2004 | ||||||||||
| Appointed as Prime Minister of the Cabinet that was formed after the elections following the dismissal of Wickremesinghe's government by President Chandrika Kumaratunga. He won the presidential elections in 2005 and assumed the office of the President of Sri Lanka. | ||||||||||
| (12) | | Ratnasiri Wickremanayake රත්නසිරි වික්රමනායක ரத்னசிறி விக்கிரமநாயக்க (1933–2016) National List | 19 November 2005 | 21 April 2010 | Sri Lanka Freedom Party (United People's Freedom Alliance) | Mahinda Rajapaksa | 17th | |||
| — | ||||||||||
| Appointed as Prime Minister when Rajapaksa assumed the office of the President of Sri Lanka. | ||||||||||
| 14 |  | D. M. Jayaratne දිසානායක මුදියන්සේලාගේ ජයරත්න திசாநாயக்க முதியன்சேலாகே ஜயரத்ன (1931–2019) National List | 21 April 2010 | 9 January 2015 | Minister of Buddhasasana & Religious Affairs | Sri Lanka Freedom Party (United People's Freedom Alliance) | Mahinda Rajapaksa | 18th | ||
| 2010 | ||||||||||
| Appointed as Prime Minister after the parliamentary election held in April 2010 was won by the incumbent Freedom Party. | ||||||||||
| (10) | | Ranil Wickremesinghe රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ ரணில் விக்ரமசிங்க (1949–) Colombo | 9 January 2015 | 26 October 2018 | Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs | United National Party | Sirisena | 18th | ||
| 2015 | 19th | |||||||||
| Appointed as Prime Minister by President Maithripala Sirisena after winning 2015 presidential election and was re-elected in the 2015 parliamentary election. 2018 Sri Lankan constitutional crisis | ||||||||||
| (13) | | Mahinda Rajapaksa මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ மகிந்த ராசபக்ச (1945–) Kurunegala de facto | 26 October 2018 | 15 December 2018 | Minister of Finance and Economic Affairs | Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (United People's Freedom Alliance) | Sirisena | 19th | ||
| — | ||||||||||
| Appointed by Sirisena, after sudden dismissal of incumbent Wickremesinghe. Term was challenged by Wickremesinghe and Sri Lanka had two concurrent Prime ministerial claimants. Failed to conduct a majority support vote in the house. Subsequently, resigned from office, to pave way for Wickremesinghe. Duties suspended by the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. 2018 Sri Lankan constitutional crisis | ||||||||||
| (10) | | Ranil Wickremesinghe රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ ரணில் விக்ரமசிங்க (1949–) Colombo | 16 December 2018 | 21 November 2019 | Minister of National Policies and Economic Affairs | United National Party | Sirisena | 19th | ||
| – | ||||||||||
| Restored as Prime Minister after the 2018 Sri Lankan constitutional crisis. | ||||||||||
| (13) | | Mahinda Rajapaksa මහින්ද රාජපක්ෂ மகிந்த ராசபக்ச (1945–) Kurunegala | 21 November 2019 | 9 May 2022 | Minister of Finance | Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (United People's Freedom Alliance) | Gotabaya Rajapaksa | 19th | ||
| — | ||||||||||
| Appointed immediately by Gotabaya, following the resignation of Ranil Wickremesinghe. | ||||||||||
| (10) | | Ranil Wickremesinghe රනිල් වික්රමසිංහ ரணில் விக்ரமசிங்க (1949–) Colombo | 12 May 2022 | 20 July 2022 | United National Party | Gotabaya Rajapaksa Ranil Wickremesinghe | 19th | |||
| — | ||||||||||
| Appointed immediately by Gotabaya, following the resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa. He left office on 20 July 2022, when he was elected president. | ||||||||||
| 15 | .jpg) | Dinesh Gunawardena දිනේෂ් ගුණවර්ධන தினேஷ் குணவர்தன (1949–) Colombo | 22 July 2022 | Incumbent | Minister of Home Affairs | Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna | Wickremesinghe | 16th | ||
| – | ||||||||||
| 1 year, 9 months and 3 days | ||||||||||
| Appointed by Ranil Wickremesinghe | ||||||||||
Living former prime ministers
| Prime Minister | Term of office | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|
| Chandrika Kumaratunga | 1994–1994 | 29 June 1945 |
| Mahinda Rajapaksa | 2004–2005, 2018, 2019–2022 | 18 November 1945 |
| Ranil Wickremesinghe | 1993–1994, 2001–2004, 2015–2019, 2022 | 24 March 1949 |
The most recent death of a former Prime Minister was that of D. M. Jayaratne (2010–2015) on 18 November 2019, aged 88.
References
This article uses material from the Wikipedia Simple English article Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, which is released under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 license ("CC BY-SA 3.0"); additional terms may apply (view authors). Content is available under CC BY-SA 4.0 unless otherwise noted. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
®Wikipedia is a registered trademark of the Wiki Foundation, Inc. Wiki Simple English (DUHOCTRUNGQUOC.VN) is an independent company and has no affiliation with Wiki Foundation.