List of heads of state of Sri Lanka
This is a list of the heads of state of Ceylon and Sri Lanka, from the independence of the Dominion of Ceylon in 1948 to the present day.
This article is part of a series on the politics and government of Sri Lanka |
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From 1948 to 1972 the head of state under the Ceylon Independence Act 1947 was the same person as the Monarch of the United Kingdom, who was represented in Ceylon by a Governor-General, who exercised the duties of the head of state. Ceylon became a republic under the Constitution of 1972 and the Monarch and Governor-General were replaced by a ceremonial President. In 1978, under the current Constitution, the President gained executive powers, becoming head of state and government.
Monarch (1948–1972)
The succession to the throne of Ceylon was the same as the succession to the British throne.
№ | Monarch (Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Reign | Royal House | Prime Minister | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Reign start | Reign end | |||||
1 | King George VI (1895–1952) |
4 February 1948 | 6 February 1952 | Windsor | D. S. Senanayake | |
2 | Queen Elizabeth II (1926–) |
6 February 1952 | 22 May 1972 | Windsor | D. S. Senanayake D. Senanayake Kotelawala S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Dahanayake D. Senanayake S. Bandaranaike D. Senanayake S. Bandaranaike | |
Governor-General
The Governor-General was the representative of the Monarch in Ceylon and exercised most of the powers of the Monarch. The Governor-General was appointed for an indefinite term, serving at the pleasure of the Monarch. The Governor-General was appointed on the advice of the Cabinet of Ceylon without the involvement of the British government. In the event of a vacancy the Chief Justice served as Officer Administering the Government.
- Status
№ | Governor-General (Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Tenure | Monarch | Prime Minister | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | |||||
1 | Sir Henry Monck-Mason Moore (1887–1964) |
4 February 1948 | 29 June 1949 | George VI | D. S. Senanayake | |
– | Sir Arthur Wijewardena (1887–1964) |
29 June 1949 | 6 July 1949 | George VI | D. S. Senanayake | |
2 | The Rt. Hon. The Viscount Soulbury (1887–1971) |
6 July 1949 | 17 July 1954 | George VI Elizabeth II |
D. S. Senanayake D. Senanayake Kotelawala | |
3 | Sir Oliver Ernest Goonetilleke (1892–1978) |
17 July 1954 | 2 March 1962 | Elizabeth II | Kotelawala S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike Dahanayake D. Senanayake S. Bandaranaike | |
4 | William Gopallawa (1897–1981) |
2 March 1962 | 22 May 1972 | Elizabeth II | S. Bandaranaike D. Senanayake S. Bandaranaike | |
President of Sri Lanka
Under the 1972 Constitution of the Republic of Sri Lanka, the President replaced the Monarch as ceremonial head of state. The President was elected by the National Assembly for a six-year term. In the event of a vacancy the Prime Minister served as Acting President.
In 1978 Constitution the Presidency became an executive post, the rules was the same as the 1972 Constitution.
- Status
№ | President (Birth–Death) |
Portrait | Tenure | Elected | Political affiliation (at time of appointment) |
Prime Minister | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Took office | Left office | |||||||
Ceremonial President | ||||||||
1 | William Gopallawa (1897–1981) |
22 May 1972 | 4 February 1978 | – | Independent | Bandaranaike Jayewardene | ||
Executive President | ||||||||
2 | J. R. Jayewardene (1906–1996) |
4 February 1978 | 2 January 1989 | 1982 | United National Party | Premadasa | ||
3 | Ranasinghe Premadasa (1924–1993) |
2 January 1989 | 1 May 1993 (assassinated.) |
1988 | United National Party | Wijetunga | ||
4 | Dingiri Banda Wijetunga (1916–2008) |
1 May 1993 | 7 May 1993 | – | United National Party | Wickremesinghe Kumaratunga | ||
7 May 1993 | 12 November 1994 | |||||||
5 | Chandrika Kumaratunga (1945–) |
12 November 1994 | 19 November 2005 | 1994 1999 |
Sri Lanka Freedom Party (PA/UPFA) |
Kumaratunga Bandaranaike Wickremanayake Wickremesinghe Rajapaksa | ||
6 | Mahinda Rajapaksa (1945–) |
19 November 2005 | 9 January 2015 | 2005 2010 |
Sri Lanka Freedom Party (UPFA) |
Wickremanayake Jayaratne | ||
7 | Maithripala Sirisena (1951–) |
9 January 2015 | 18 November 2019 | 2015 | Sri Lanka Freedom Party (UPFA)[1] |
Wickremesinghe | ||
8 | Gotabaya Rajapaksa (1949–) |
18 November 2019 | Incumbent | 2019 | Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPFA) |
M.Rajapaksa |
Standards
- Governor-General's Standard (1948–1952)
- Governor-General's Standard (1952–1972)
- Presidential Standard of Maithripala Sirisena
Living former heads of state
There are three living former Sri Lankan heads of state:
Image | Name | Term/Reign | Office | Date of birth |
---|---|---|---|---|
Elizabeth II | 1952–1972 | Queen of Ceylon | 21 April 1926 | |
Chandrika Kumaratunga | 1994–2005 | President of Sri Lanka | 29 July 1945 | |
Mahinda Rajapaksa | 2005–2015 | President of Sri Lanka | 11 November 1945 | |
References
- Elected as a New Democratic Front candidate.