# List of Sri Lankan cabinets

This is a list of cabinets of Sri Lanka since 1947.

## Background

The Executive Council of Ceylon was the Executive Council created in British Ceylon by the British colonial administration on the recommendations of the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission along with the Legislative Council of Ceylon on March 13, 1833.
At its creation the Executive Council was headed by the Governor, along with five members appointed by the Governor. These five members were officials who held the posts of the Colonial Secretary, the Attorney General, the Auditor-General, the Treasurer and the General Officer Commanding, Ceylon. The Council exercised executive power and advised the governor. As a result of the First Manning Reforms three non-officials were elected to the executive council.
With enactment of the new constitution of the Dominion of Ceylon in 1947 the Executive Council was replaced by a National Cabinet.

## Cabinets

| # | Cabinet | Took office | Left office | Head of state | Head of government | Governing party |
| 1 | D. S. Senanayake cabinet | 24 September 1947 | 22 March 1952 | George VI (1947–1952) | D. S. Senanayake | United National Party |
| 2 | Dudley Senanayake cabinet I | 22 March 1952 | 12 October 1953 | Elizabeth II (1952–1972) | Dudley Senanayake | United National Party |
| 3 | Kotelawala cabinet | 12 October 1953 | 12 April 1956 | Elizabeth II (1952–1972) | John Kotelawala | United National Party |
| 4 | S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike cabinet | 12 April 1956 | 26 September 1959 | Elizabeth II (1952–1972) | S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike | Sri Lanka Freedom Party |
| 5 | Dahanayake cabinet | 26 September 1959 | 20 March 1960 | Elizabeth II (1952–1972) | Wijeyananda Dahanayake | Sri Lanka Freedom Party |
| 6 | Dudley Senanayake cabinet II | 21 March 1960 | 21 July 1960 | Elizabeth II (1952–1972) | Dudley Senanayake | United National Party |
| 7 | Sirimavo Bandaranaike cabinet I | 21 July 1960 | 25 March 1965 | Elizabeth II (1952–1972) | Sirimavo Bandaranaike | Sri Lanka Freedom Party |
| 8 | Dudley Senanayake cabinet III | 25 March 1965 | 29 May 1970 | Elizabeth II (1952–1972) | Dudley Senanayake | United National Party |
| 9 | Sirimavo Bandaranaike cabinet II | 29 May 1970 | 23 July 1977 | William Gopallawa (1972–1978) | Sirimavo Bandaranaike | Sri Lanka Freedom Party |
| 10 | Jayewardene cabinet I | 23 July 1977 | 7 September 1978 | William Gopallawa (1972–1978) | J. R. Jayewardene | United National Party |
| 11 | Jayewardene cabinet II | 7 September 1978 | 1980 | J. R. Jayewardene | J. R. Jayewardene | | United National Party |
| 12 | Jayewardene cabinet III | 1980 | 1988 | J. R. Jayewardene | J. R. Jayewardene | United National Party |
| 13 | Jayewardene cabinet IV | 1988 | 2 January 1989 | J. R. Jayewardene | J. R. Jayewardene | United National Party |
| 14 | Premadasa cabinet I | 2 January 1989 | 1990 | Ranasinghe Premadasa | Ranasinghe Premadasa | | United National Party |
| 15 | Premadasa cabinet II | 1990 | 1 May 1993 | Ranasinghe Premadasa | Ranasinghe Premadasa | United National Party |
| 16 | Wijetunga cabinet I | 1 May 1993 | 19 August 1994 | Dingiri Banda Wijetunga | Dingiri Banda Wijetunga | | United National Party |
| 17 | Wijetunga cabinet II | 19 August 1994 | 12 November 1994 | Dingiri Banda Wijetunga | Dingiri Banda Wijetunga | SLFP led People's Alliance |
| 18 | Kumaratunga cabinet I | 12 November 1994 | 18 October 2000 | Chandrika Kumaratunga | Chandrika Kumaratunga | | SLFP led People's Alliance |
| 19 | Kumaratunga cabinet II | 18 October 2000 | 7 December 2001 | Chandrika Kumaratunga | Chandrika Kumaratunga | SLFP led People's Alliance |
| 20 | Kumaratunga cabinet III | 12 December 2001 | 2 April 2004 | Chandrika Kumaratunga | Chandrika Kumaratunga | UNP led United National Front |
| 21 | Kumaratunga cabinet IV | 2 April 2004 | 19 November 2005 | Chandrika Kumaratunga | Chandrika Kumaratunga | SLFP led United People's Freedom Alliance |
| 22 | M. Rajapaksa cabinet I | 19 November 2005 | 28 January 2007 | Mahinda Rajapaksa | Mahinda Rajapaksa | | SLFP led United People's Freedom Alliance |
| 23 | M. Rajapaksa cabinet II | 28 January 2007 | 23 April 2010 | Mahinda Rajapaksa | Mahinda Rajapaksa | SLFP led United People's Freedom Alliance |
| 24 | M. Rajapaksa cabinet III | 23 April 2010 | 28 January 2013 | Mahinda Rajapaksa | Mahinda Rajapaksa | SLFP led United People's Freedom Alliance |
| 25 | M. Rajapaksa cabinet IV | 28 January 2013 | 9 January 2015 | Mahinda Rajapaksa | Mahinda Rajapaksa | SLFP led United People's Freedom Alliance |
| 26 | Sirisena cabinet I | 12 January 2015 | 17 August 2015 | Maithripala Sirisena | Maithripala Sirisena | UNP led United National Front |
| 27 | Sirisena cabinet II | 24 August 2015 | 26 October 2018 | Maithripala Sirisena | Maithripala Sirisena | UNP led United National Front |
| 28 | Sirisena cabinet III | 29 October 2018 | 15 December 2018 | Maithripala Sirisena | Maithripala Sirisena | SLFP–SLPP led coalition |
| 29 | Sirisena cabinet IV | 20 December 2018 | 21 November 2019 | Maithripala Sirisena | Maithripala Sirisena | UNP led United National Front |
| 30 | G. Rajapaksa cabinet I | 21 November 2019 | 12 August 2020 | Gotabaya Rajapaksa | Gotabaya Rajapaksa | SLPP led Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance |
| 31 | G. Rajapaksa cabinet II | 12 August 2020 | 3 April 2022 | Gotabaya Rajapaksa | Gotabaya Rajapaksa | SLPP led Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance |
| 32 | G. Rajapaksa cabinet III | 18 April 2022 | 9 May 2022 | Gotabaya Rajapaksa | Gotabaya Rajapaksa | SLPP led Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance |
| 33 | G. Rajapaksa cabinet IV | 12 May 2022 | 14 July 2022 | Gotabaya Rajapaksa | Gotabaya Rajapaksa | SLPP–UNP led coalition |
| 34 | Wickremesinghe cabinet | 22 July 2022 | 23 September 2024 | Ranil Wickremesinghe | Ranil Wickremesinghe | | SLPP–UNP led coalition |
| 35 | Dissanayake cabinet I | 24 September 2024 | 18 November 2024 | Anura Kumara Dissanayake | Anura Kumara Dissanayake | JVP led National People's Power |
| 36 | Dissanayake cabinet II | 18 November 2024 | Incumbent | Anura Kumara Dissanayake | Anura Kumara Dissanayake | JVP led National People's Power |
* The First Cabinet of Ministers of Ceylon in 1947, headed by Rt Hon D.S. Senanayake as first Prime Minister of Ceylon. Also in the picture Sir Henry Monck-Mason Moore the Governor of Ceylon, and the Chief Justice.
* Cabinet of 1952 at Queen's House after swearing in ceremony on 17 June 1952