The Governments of Sri Lanka
(1947 - 1977)

Cabinet of Rt. Hon. DS Senanayake
1st Parliament (1947-1952)

The Cabinet of D.S. Senanayake, the first Prime Minister of Ceylon was sworn in at Queens House, on September 26, 1947.  The same Cabinet was sworn in again on February 4, 1948, when Ceylon obtained Independence.

Cabinet of Dudley Senanayake
2nd Parliament (1952-1953)

Mr. Dudley Senanayake became Prime Minister of Ceylon for the first time on 30th March, 1952, after the death of his father, the Rt. Hon. D.S. Senanayake. He retained his father's Cabinet. Almost immediately after he went to the polls. His Cabinet appointed on 19th June 1952 was as follows.

Cabinet of Sir John Kotelawala
2nd Parliament (1953-1956)

Sir John Kotelawala who became Prime Minister on the resignation of Mr. Dudley Senanayake announced his Cabinet on October 12, 1953.

Cabinet of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike
3rd Parliament (1956-1959)

The first Cabinet of SWRD Bandaranaike who led the SLFP-MEP coalition to victory was formed on April 12, 1959.

The Second Cabinet of SWRD Bandaranaike was formed on June 9, 1959. He was assassinated on 26th September 1959.

Cabinet of W Dahanayake
(Sep. 1959 - March 1960)

Dr. W. Dahanayake was Prime Minister of Ceylon for a brief period from 26th September, 1959 to 19th March 1960. During this period he removed nearly all the ministers of Mr. SWRD Bandaranaike's government from office. Dahanayake's six months in office were hectic in many ways.

Dudley Senanayake, who became Prime Minister after the March 19th general election announced the following Cabinet, on March 23, 1960, consisting entirely of UNP members.

Note: The Cabinet of Dudley Senanayake resigned from office immediately after the July general election, which returned Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike's Sri Lanka Freedom Party to power.

First Cabinet of Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike
5th Parliament (1960 - 1965)

Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike who was Prime Minister of Ceylon on the first occasion (from July, 1960-December, 1964) had three Cabinets.  The first of these appointed on July 23, 1960, was as follows.

Second Cabinet of Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike
5th Parliament

The second Cabinet of Mrs. Bandaranaike was formed on May 28, 1963, and was as follows.

Third Cabinet of Mrs. Bandaranaike

On June 11, 1964, Mrs. Bandaranaike's Sri Lanka Freedom Party allied itself with the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (Trotskyites) and formed a Cabinet with that party. The following was the composition of that Cabinet.

Cabinet of Dudley Senanayake
6th Parliament (1965 - 1970)

Mr. Dudley Senanayake became Prime Minister, for the fourth time, on 25th March 1965 and he formed a National Government on March 27, 1965, for democracy against the SLFP-LSSP coalition led by Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike. The following were the members of his Cabinet consisting of the UNP, SLFSP, MEP and the FP.

Cabinet of Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike
7th Parliament (1970 - 1977)

A Cabinet was formed by Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike when she was elected Prime Minister, for the second time, in May 1970. She had formed the United Front, a coalition of her own Sri Lanka Freedom Party with the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (Trotskyites) and the Communist Party, and her Cabinet included members of all these constituent parties. The Cabinet was sworn in on May 31, 1970.

Second Cabinet of Mrs. Sirima Bandaranaike
7th Parliament

The L.S.S.P. (Trotskyites), were expelled from the government of Mrs. Bandaranaike, on September 2, 1975.  She then formed a government on September 17, 1975, consisting of her own S.L.F.P. and the Communist Party.