Roles and Responsibilities Before 1978

Until 1977, the prime minister managed the combined Ministry of External Affairs and Defence. However, J. R. Jayewardene’s government divided the ministry into the Ministry of Defence and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Constitutional Changes and Reduction of Powers (Post-1978)

After J. R. Jayewardene became president in 1978, constitutional reforms introduced the position of an executive president. This change significantly reduced the prime minister’s authority, placing the president as the head of state and chief executive while relegating the prime minister to a weaker role as head of government.

Modern Role of the Prime Minister

The current constitution assigns the prime minister to lead the Cabinet and act as the president’s deputy. When a president dies in office, the prime minister assumes the role of acting president until Parliament elects a successor or holds new elections. For example, in 1993, Prime Minister Dingiri Banda Wijetunga became acting president after President Ranasinghe Premadasa was assassinated.

Recent Constitutional Amendments

On 28 April 2015, Parliament passed the 19th Amendment, which increased the prime minister’s power to govern, while the president retained the roles of head of state, Cabinet leader, and commander-in-chief.

Notable Facts About Prime Ministers of Sri Lanka

Among the sixteen prime ministers since 1947:

• One prime minister served four times, two served three times, and two served twice.
• Six prime ministers later became presidents.
• Ranil Wickremesinghe holds the record for being sworn in six times (1993, 2001, twice in 2015, 2018, and 2022).
• Dudley Senanayake and Sirimavo Bandaranaike each served three terms.

In 2018, the Supreme Court suspended Mahinda Rajapaksa, making him the country’s first de facto prime minister.