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| PMs of Sri Lanka |
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Rt. Hon. D.
S. Senanayake
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24th September 1947 - 22nd March
1952 |
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The first Parliamentary Election in Sri Lanka
(then known as Ceylon) after attaining dominion
status was held in August 1947. Don.Stephen
Senanayake, whose party gained a majority
of seats at the elections, was sworn in as
the first Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on September
24, 1947. He was a leader who was closely
involved in the nationalist movement for independence
of Sri Lanka from colonial rule. He met with
an untimely death resulting from an accidental
fall from the horse he was riding on March
22, 1952. He was honored by the British monarch
by making him a Privy Counsellor in recognition
of his service to the nation.
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Hon. Dudley
Senanayake
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26th March
1952 - October 1953 |
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Mr. Dudley Senanayake was appointed Prime
Minister on the death of his father the Rt.
Hon. D. S. Senanayake.
Hon. Dudley Shelton Senanayake who served
four terms as the Prime Minister of Sri Lanka
was the eldest son of the first Prime Minister
Rt. Hon D.S. Senanayake. He assumed office
of Prime Minister on March 26, 1952 to fill
the vacancy created by the demise of his father
and was re-elected at the general election
in May 1952. He resigned from premiership
on October 12, 1953 on grounds of ill health.
He became the Prime Minister once again on
March 20, 1960. He was sworn in as the Prime
Minister for the fourth time on March 25,
1965 and retried from politics after the general
elections in 1970. He passed away on April
13, 1973.
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Rt. Hon. Sir
John Kotelawala
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12th
October 1953 - 12th April 1956 |
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Sir John Lionel Kotelawala assumed office
as Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on the resignation
of Hon. Dudley Senanayake in October 1953
and continued in office till April 1956.The
visit of the British Queen, Elizabeth II to
Sri Lanka and the admission of Sri Lanka as
a member of the United Nations were significant
events that took place during his tenure as
Prime Minister. He was also appointed a Privy
Counsellor by the British Queen.
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Hon.
S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike
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12th
April 1956 - 26th September 1959 |
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Hon. Solomon West Ridgeway Dias Bandaranaike
won the general elections in April 1956 creating
a significant change in the political life
of the country and was sworn in as the fourth
Prime Minster of Sri Lanka on April 12, 1956.
Among the notable events during his term of
office were the recovery, through friendly
negotiations, of the naval base at Trincomalee
and the air base at Katunayake from British
control, the nationalization of the bus service,
the passing Official Language Act making Sinhala
the official language and the Paddy Lands
Act. He succumbed to injuries from an assassin’s
bullet on September 26, and could not complete
his full term of office.
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Hon.
Dr. W. Dahanayake
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26th September 1959
- 20th March 1960 |
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Hon.
Wijayananda Dahanayake was sworn in as
Prime Minister following the assassination
of Prime Minister S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike. He
held office only for a short period and relinquished
office after losing at the general elections
held in March 1960.
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Hon.
Dudley Senanayake
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21st
March 1960 - 21st July 1960 |
At the general election the United National
Party emerged with the largest number of seats
but without a majority and was asked to form
the government .Dudley Senanayake became Prime
Minister for a second time. However his Government
was defeated in the House on 22 April 1960
when a vote was taken on the throne speech.
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Hon.
(Mrs.) Sirima Bandaranaike
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21st
July 1960 - 25th March 1965 |
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Being the Leader of the Sri Lanka Freedom
Party (SLFP) she was appointed Prime Minister
on 21 July 1960 as SLFP won the election held
in July 1960. As she was not a Member of Parliament
which is required for appointment as Prime
Minster she was appointed to the Upper House
on 02 August 1960 enabling her to serve as
P.M. Mrs. Bandaranaike's Government was defeated
in the House on 3 December 1964.
Hon. Mrs. Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike
created history by being the first woman
Prime Minister in the world. She was again
elected to parliament at the General election
held on May 27, 1970. The House of Representatives
was converted to a National State Assembly
during her second term in office after Sri
Lanka adopted a Republican Constitution
with a unicameral legislature. When Prime
Minister Hon. Mrs. Chandrika Bandaranaike
Kumaranatunga resigned on November 12, 1994
to contest the Presidential Election Hon.
Sirimavo Bandaranaike was sworn in as the
Prime Minister for a third time and continued
to hold office till August 10, 2000 when
she retired due to ill health. She died
on October 10, 2000 on her way to Colombo
from Attanagalle after casting her vote
at the general election held that year.
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Hon. Dudley
Senanayake
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25th
March 1965 - 29th May 1970 |
Mr. Dudley Senanayake was appointed
Prime Minister for the fourth time on the
results of the general election held in March
1965.He completed his full term of five years,
the first time in Sri Lanka’s parliamentary
history when a Prime Minister completed the
full term of five years.
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Hon.
(Mrs.) Sirima Bandaranaike
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29th
May 1970 - 22nd May 1972 |
Mrs. Bandaranaike became Prime Minister for
a second time after the sweeping victory at
the election in 1970.
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Hon.
(Mrs.) Sirima Bandaranaike
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22nd
May 1972 - 23rd July 1977 |
The
House of representatives was named the National
State Assembly during Mrs. Bandaranaike’s
second term office when Sri Lanka became a
Republic under a new Constitution adopted
in May 1972.
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Hon.
J. R. Jayewardene
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23rd
July 1977 - 04th February 1978 |
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Hon. Junius Richard Jayawardene was sworn
in as the Prime Minister when his party won
a landslide victory at the general election
held in 1977. Using the massive majority he
received at the polls, he changed the Constitution
of Sri Lanka and resigned from the post of
Prime Minister to assume office as the first
executive President of the Democratic Socialist
Republic of Sri Lanka in February 06, 1978.
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Hon.
R. Premadasa
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06th
February 1978 - 07th September
1978 |
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With
the assumption of office as the President
by Hon. J.R. Jayawardene, Hon. Ranasinghe
Premadasa was sworn in as the Prime Minister
of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri
Lanka on February 06, 1978
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Hon. R. Premadasa
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07th
September 1978 - 02nd January 1989 |
Hon. Ranasinghe Premadasa was re-appointed
as Prime Minister on September 07, 1978 and
remained in office as the Prime Minister till
he resigned to contest the Presidential elections
in December 1988.
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Hon. D. B.
Wijetunga
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06th
March 1989* - 28th March 1990** |
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With the resignation of Prime Minister
Ranasinghe Premadasa to contest the presidential
election in 1988, Hon. Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
was sworn in as the Prime Minister on March
03, 1989. He resigned on March 28, 1989 but,
was reappointed on March 30, 1990. With the
assassination of President Premadasa on May
01, 1993 he was sworn in as the President
of Sri Lanka.
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Hon. D. B.
Wijetunga
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30th March 1990 - 07th May
1993 |
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Hon. Ranil Wickremasinghe
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17th May 1993* - 19th
August 1994 |
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Mr. Wickremasinghe was appointed Prime
Minister after Mr. Wijetunga assumed the Office
of President of Sri Lanka in May 1993. He
remained in office till August 19, 1994. He was again appointed
the Prime Minister on December 09, 2001 when
his party was elected to power at the parliamentary
elections held on December 09, 2001.
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Hon.(Mrs.)
ChandrikaBandaranaike
Kumaratunge |
19th August 1994 -
12th November 1994 |
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Hon. Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunge was
sworn in as Prime Minister on August 19, 1994
when her party gained a majority at the general
election held on August 16, 1994. After serving
for a very short period as the Prime Minister
she contested and won the presidential election
held on November in the same year.
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Hon. (Mrs.)
Sirimavo R.D Bandaranaike
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14th
November 1994 - 09th August 2000 |
Mrs. Bandaranaike was appointed Prime Minister,
for a third time, after Mrs. Kumaratunge assumed
the office of President of Sri Lanka in November
1994.
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Hon. Ratnasiri
Wickramanayaka
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10th
August 2000 - 13th October 2000 |
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Hon. Ratnasiri Wickramanayaka became the Prime
Minister with the resignation of
Hon. Mrs. Sirimavo Bandaranaike in August
2000. He was sworn in on August 10. He was
re-appointed as Prime Minister on November
21, 2005 when Hon. Mahinda Rajapaksa was elected
President of Sri Lanka.
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Hon. Ratnasiri
Wickramanayaka
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13th
October 2000 - 07th December 2001 |
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Hon. Ranil Wickremasinghe
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09th
December 2001 - 02nd April 20041 |
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| Sixth
Parliament of the D.S.R. of Sri Lanka |
22 April 2004
- to date |
Hon. Mahinda
Rajapaksa
|
06th April 2004 -
19th November 2005 |
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Hon.
Mahinda Rajapaksa was appointed the Prime
Minister on April 06, 2004 when his party
captured power at the general elections in
April 2004. He resigned from office after
winning the presidential elections on November
19, 2005.
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Hon. Ratnasiri
Wickramanayake
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19th
November 2005 - to date |
| See Profile |
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