Cabinet of Sri Lanka

In Sri Lanka, the Cabinet of Ministers is the council of ministers that form the central government of Sri Lanka. The body of senior ministers responsible and answerable to the Parliament of Sri Lanka. The President is a member of the cabinet and its head.[1]

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The current cabinet is the Wickremesinghe cabinet,[2] which consists of 21 ministers since 6 October 2023.[3] There are also 38 state ministers who are not members of the cabinet.

Background
The first Cabinet of Ministers of Ceylon in 1947

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, as the legislative body, on 13 March 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.

Constitutional basis

As per the Sri Lankan Constitution, the President is a member of and head of the cabinet.[1] The president appoints as Prime Minister, a Member of Parliament who has the confidence of parliament.[1] Other ministers of the cabinet are appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister.[4] The president may appoint himself to any ministry he chooses.[4] According to the constitution the president must be the Minister of Defence.[5] The President also appoints, in consultation with the Prime Minister, non-cabinet ministers (state ministers, project ministers) and Deputy ministers.[6][7]

Powers and functions

Constitutionally, the Cabinet of Ministers charged with the direction and control of the Government of the Republic and is collectively responsible and answerable to Parliament. Cabinet Ministers may table cabinet papers.

Meetings

The cabinet meets on a regular basis, usually weekly on a Tuesday to discuss the most important issues of government policy. The president typically chairs the meeting and sets the agenda. All cabinet meetings are held behind closed doors and the minutes are kept confidential. The cabinet meets at the Old Parliament Building in Colombo.

Committees

A cabinet committee is a subset of the larger Cabinet, consisting of a number of ministers who have responsibility in related areas of policy.[8]

Administration

Cabinet offices are located in the Republic Building and are headed by the Secretary to the Cabinet, appointed by the President.

Privileges of office

Salary

A Cabinet minister would receive a salary of Rs. 140,000 (having been increased from 65,000 from January 2018); paid monthly from the respective ministry budget.[9] In addition, since all ministers are members of parliament they are entitled to allowances and benefits of parliamentarians.[10]

Official residence and office

Cabinet ministers are entitled to an official residence, as well as an office and personal staff allocated by their ministry.

Travel

Each cabinet minister is entitled to three vehicles, which includes an official vehicle and a security vehicle provided and maintained by their ministry. For domestic air travel, helicopters from the No. 4 (VVIP/VIP) Helicopter Squadron of the Sri Lanka Air Force are charted by the ministry.

Security

Traditionally, security for the ministers has been provided by the Sri Lanka Police. During emergencies military units have been allocated to bolster security to certain ministers based on threat levels. Currently, the Ministerial Security Division is in charge of security of ministers.

Order of precedence

In the Sri Lankan order of precedence, the cabinet ministers are placed above the former presidents but below the provincial governors (within their respective province).

Incumbent cabinet

Ministers appointed under article 43(1) of the constitution. The members of the cabinet is as follows:

Name Portrait Party Office Took office Refs.
Ranil Wickremesinghe United National Party President of Sri Lanka 21 July 2022[lower-alpha 1]
Minister of Finance 25 May 2022[lower-alpha 2]
Minister of Defence 21 July 2022
Minister of Women, Child Affairs and Social Empowerment 21 July 2022
Minister of Technology 21 July 2022
Dinesh Gunawardena Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Prime Minister 22 July 2022
Minister of Public Administration, Home Affairs, Provincial Councils and Local Government 18 April 2022[lower-alpha 2] [11]
Prasanna Ranatunga Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Minister of Urban Development and Housing 22 July 2022 [11]
Kanchana Wijesekera Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Minister of Power and Energy 22 July 2022 [11]
Susil Premajayantha Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Minister of Education 20 May 2022[lower-alpha 2] [11]
Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms 12 May 2022[lower-alpha 2] [11]
Harin Fernando United National Party Minister of Tourism and Lands 22 July 2022 [11]
Minister of Sports and Youth Affairs 27 November 2023 [12]
Mahinda Amaraweera Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Minister of Agriculture and Plantation Industries 23 October 2023 [11][13]
Minister of Wildlife and Forest Conservation 12 May 2022[lower-alpha 2] [11]
Douglas Devananda Eelam People's Democratic Party Minister of Fisheries 12 August 2020[lower-alpha 2] [11]
Manusha Nanayakkara United National Party Minister of Labour and Foreign Employment 22 July 2022 [11]
Bandula Gunawardena Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Minister of Transport and Highways 22 July 2022 [11]
Minister of Mass Media 23 May 2022[lower-alpha 2] [11]
Ramesh Pathirana Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Minister of Plantation Industries 18 April 2022[lower-alpha 2] [11]
Minister of Industries 20 May 2022[lower-alpha 2] [11]
Minister of Health 23 October 2023 [13]
Vidura Wickremanayake Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Minister of Buddhasasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs 20 May 2022[lower-alpha 2] [11]
Nalin Fernando Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Minister of Trade, Commerce and Food Security 20 May 2022[lower-alpha 2] [11]
Tiran Alles United People's Party Minister of Public Security 20 May 2022[lower-alpha 2] [11]
Ali Sabry Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Minister of Foreign Affairs 22 July 2022 [11]
Nimal Siripala de Silva Sri Lanka Freedom Party Minister of Ports, Shipping and Aviation 2 August 2022 [14]
Pavithra Wanniarachchi Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Minister of Wildlife and Forest Resources Conservation 19 January 2023 [15]
Minister of Irrigation 27 November 2023 [12]
Jeevan Thondaman Ceylon Workers' Congress Minister of Water Supply and Estate Infrastructure Development 19 January 2023 [15]

See also

Notes
  1. Wickremesinghe was acting president from 14 July 2022 to 21 July 2022.
  2. Continuation of same office held in previous cabinet.

References
  • "Government Ministers". Policy Research & Information Unit, Presidential Secretariat, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 4 December 2003. Retrieved 21 July 2008.
  1. "THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA - Article 43". LawNet.
  2. "President Rajapaksa assumes duties. - The official website of the President of Sri Lanka". www.president.gov.lk. Archived from the original on 23 November 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  3. "New Cabinet of Ministers sworn in - The official website of the President of Sri Lanka". www.president.gov.lk. Archived from the original on 25 November 2019. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  4. "THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA - Article 44". LawNet.
  5. "Ranil works out peaceful pre-dawn transition of power with Mahinda". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 11 January 2015.
  6. "THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA - Article 45". LawNet.
  7. "THE CONSTITUTION OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA - Article 46". LawNet.
  8. "Committees". cabinetoffice.gov.lk. Cabinet Office. Retrieved 2 December 2019.
  9. Salaries of ministers likely to be increased?
  10. Of Ministers’ Salaries And Parliamentary Perks
  11. "New cabinet ministers sworn in".
  12. "Harin appointed Sports Minister, Pavithra sworn in as Irrigation Minister". Ada Derana. 27 November 2023. p. 1. Retrieved 27 November 2023.
  13. "Cabinet reshuffle: New health and environment ministers appointed". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 6 November 2023.
  14. "Nimal Siripala de Silva reappointed as Minister". Sri Lanka News - Newsfirst. 2 August 2022. Retrieved 5 August 2022.
  15. "Two Cabinet Ministers sworn in". Daily News. 20 January 2023. p. 1. Retrieved 22 January 2023.
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