Women in the Sri Lankan Parliament

Top left: Adeline Molamure became the first female legislator in Sri Lanka in 1931.
Top right: Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the world's first female Prime Minister in 1960.
Bottom left: Chandrika Kumaratunga became the second female Prime Minister and later the first female President of Sri Lanka in 1994.
Bottom right: Harini Amarasuriya became the third female Prime Minister of Sri Lanka in 2024.

Women have served in the Parliament of Sri Lanka since 1931 and have been represented in all successive parliaments to date. The first woman representative was Adeline Molamure, elected to the State Council, daughter of J. H. Meedeniya and wife of Alfred Francis Molamure, both State Councillors.

Women in the Sri Lankan parliament, however small in numbers, have held high positions in Parliament and the cabinet. Three women have become Prime Minister and one has gone on to become the President of Sri Lanka. Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the world's first female head of government on 21 July 1960, holding the post for a non-consecutive 17 years. Her daughter, Chandrika Kumaratunga, became Sri Lanka's first modern female head of state and president.^[1]

The 17th Parliament of Sri Lanka, the current parliament elected in 2024, has the highest number of female legislators with 22 female MPs.^[2]^[3]^[4]

Number of women

Number of women in Parliament by House

Number of women in the Sri Lankan Parliament (1931–2024):

#	Legislature	Years	in Parliament	%	in House	%	in Senate	%
1st	Ceylonese State Council	1931–1936	2	3.4%	2	3.4%	—
2nd	Ceylonese State Council	1936–1947	1	1.7%	1	1.7%	—
3rd	Ceylonese Parliament	1947–1952	1	?%	3	2.9%	4	?%
4th	Ceylonese Parliament	1952–1956	?	?%	2	1.9%	?	?%
5th	Ceylonese Parliament	1956–1959	?	?%	4	3.9%	?	?%
6th	Ceylonese Parliament	1960–1960	?	?%	3	2.9%	?	?%
7th	Ceylonese Parliament	1960–1964	?	?%	3	2.9%	?	?%
8th	Ceylonese Parliament	1965–1970	?	?%	6	5.9%	?	?%
9th	Ceylonese Parliament	1970–1972	?	?%	6	3.8%	?	?%
10th	National State Assembly	1972–1977	6	3.6%	6	3.6%	—
11th	National State Assembly	1977–1978	11	6.5%	11	6.5%
12th	Sri Lankan Parliament	1978–1988	11	4.8%	11	4.8%
13th	Sri Lankan Parliament	1989–1994	13	5.7%	13	5.7%
14th	Sri Lankan Parliament	1994–2000	12	5.3%	12	5.3%
15th	Sri Lankan Parliament	2000–2001	9	4%	9	4%
16th	Sri Lankan Parliament	2001–2004	10	4.4%	10	4.4%
17th	Sri Lankan Parliament	2004–2010	13	5.7%	13	5.7%
18th	Sri Lankan Parliament	2010–2015	13	5.7%	13	5.7%
19th	Sri Lankan Parliament	2015–2020	13	5.7%	13	5.7%
20th	Sri Lankan Parliament	2020–2024	12	5.3%	12	5.3%
21st	Sri Lankan Parliament	2024–2028	22	9.8%	22	9.8%

List of female members

This is a complete list of women who have served as members of the successive Sri Lankan Legislatures, ordered by seniority. This list includes women who served in the past and who continue to serve in the present.^[4]

Service

Representative	Party		Electorate	Years	Notes
Adeline Molamure	—		Ruwanwella	June 1931– 7 December 1935	Elected in by-election First woman to be elected to the State Council of Ceylon (first elected female legislator)
Naysum Saravanamuttu	—		Colombo North	June 1931– 4 July 1947	Second woman to be elected to the State Council
Florence Senanayake		Lanka Sama Samaja Party	Kiriella	September 1947– 8 April 1952	First female to be elected to Parliament
Cissy Cooray	—		—	1947–1952	First female to be appointed to the Senate of Ceylon
Kusumasiri Gunawardena		Lanka Sama Samaja Party	Avissawella	1948– 18 February 1956	Second female to be elected to Parliament Elected unopposed in by-election
Kusumasiri Gunawardena		Viplavakari Lanka Sama Samaja Party	Kiriella	April 1956– 5 December 1959
Tamara Kumari Ilangaratne		Independent	Kandy	June 1949– 8 April 1952	Third female to be elected to Parliament Elected in by-election
Tamara Kumari Ilangaratne		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	Galagedara	27 May 1970– 18 May 1977
Doreen Wickremasinghe		Communist Party of Ceylon	Akuressa	May 1952– 18 February 1956
Clodagh Jayasuriya		United National Party	—	October 1953–1956	Elected to the Senate of Ceylon
Vivienne Goonewardena		Lanka Sama Samaja Party	Colombo North	April 1956– 5 December 1959
			Borella	20 July 1960– 17 December 1964	Elected in by-election
			Dehiwala–Mt. Lavinia	27 May 1970– 18 May 1977
Vimala Wijewardene		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	Mirigama	April 1956– 5 December 1959	First female cabinet minister
Kusuma Rajaratne		Independent	Welimada	September 1957– 5 December 1959	Elected in by-election
Kusuma Rajaratne		National Liberation Front	Uva–Paranagama	19 March 1960– 25 March 1970
Evelyn de Soysa	—		—	April 1959–1963	Appointed member of the Senate of Ceylon
Wimala Kannangara		United National Party	Galigamuwa	19 March 1960– 23 April 1960
				22 March 1965– 25 March 1970
				21 July 1977– 20 December 1988
Soma Wickremanayake		Lanka Sama Samaja Party	Dehiowita	19 March 1960– 17 December 1964
Sirimavo Bandaranaike		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	Attanagalla	22 March 1965– 20 December 1988	Appointed Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on 21 July 1960, 29 May 1970, 22 May 1972 and 14 November 1994.
			Gampaha	15 February 1989– 24 June 1994
			National List	16 August 1994– 18 August 2000
Sivagamie Obeyesekere		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	Mirigama	22 March 1965– 18 May 1977
Leticia Rajapaksa		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	Dodangaslanda	22 March 1965– 25 March 1970	Elected in by-election
Mallika Ratwatte		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	Balangoda	22 March 1965– 18 May 1977	Elected in by-election
Seetha Seneviratne		United National Party	Balangoda	October 1967– April 1970	Appointed member of the Senate of Ceylon
Kusala Abhayavardhana		Lanka Sama Samaja Party	Borella	27 May 1970– 18 May 1977
Renuka Herath		United National Party	Walapane	21 July 1977– 20 December 1988
Renuka Herath		United National Party	Nuwara Eliya	15 February 1989– 18 August 2000
Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake		United National Party	Wariyapola	21 July 1977– 20 December 1988
Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake		United National Party	Kurunegala	15 February 1989– 9 February 2010
Sunethra Ranasinghe	—		Dehiwala–Mount Lavinia	21 July 1977– 20 December 1988	Elected in by-election
Sunethra Ranasinghe		United National Party	Colombo	15 February 1989– 24 June 1994
Rupa Sriyani Daniel		United National Party	Hewaheta	21 July 1977– 20 December 1988	Nominated
Rupa Sriyani Daniel		United National Party	National List	15 February 1989– 24 June 1994
Ranganayaki Pathmanathan	—		Pottuvil	21 July 1977– 20 December 1988	Nominated
Daya Sepali Senadheera	—		Karandeniya	21 July 1977– 20 December 1988	Nominated and succeeded seat vacated by the death of her husband Bandulahewa Senadheera. Assassinated by the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna.
Lohini Wijesiri	—		Harispattuwa	21 July 1977– 20 December 1988	Nominated
Keerthilatha Abeywickrema	—		Deniyaya	21 July 1977– 20 December 1988	Nominated
Samantha Karunaratne	—		Rambukkana	21 July 1977– 20 December 1988	Nominated
Samantha Karunaratne		United National Party	Kegalle	15 February 1989– 24 June 1994
Sumitha Priyangeni Abeyweera		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	Kalutara	15 February 1989– 24 June 1994
Sujatha Dharmawardana		United National Party	Puttalam	15 February 1989– 24 June 1994
Chandra Karunaratne		United National Party	Badulla	15 February 1989– 24 June 1994
Rasamanohari Pulendran		United National Party	Vanni	15 February 1989– 24 June 1994
Hema Ratnayake		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	Badulla	15 February 1989– 24 June 1994
Hema Ratnayake		United National Party	Badulla	16 August 1994– 18 August 2000
Daya Amarakeerthi		Sri Lanka Freedom Party	Galle	15 February 1989– 24 June 1994
Chandrika Kumaratunga		People's Alliance	Gampaha	16 August 1994– 18 August 2000	Appointed Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on 19 August 1994, then elected President of Sri Lanka on 12 November 1994.
Sumedha G. Jayasena		People's Alliance	Monaragala	16 August 1994– 7 February 2004
Sumedha G. Jayasena		United People's Freedom Alliance	Monaragala	2 April 2004– 3 March 2020
Sumitha Priyangani Abeyweera		People's Alliance	Kalutara	16 August 1994– 18 August 2000
Nirupama Rajapaksa		People's Alliance	Hambantota	16 August 1994– 18 August 2000
Nirupama Rajapaksa		United People's Freedom Alliance	Hambantota	2 April 2004– 9 February 2010
Pavithra Devi Wanniarachchi		People's Alliance	Ratnapura	16 August 1994– 7 February 2004
		United People's Freedom Alliance		2 April 2004– 3 March 2020
		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna		20 August 2020– 24 September 2024
Srimanee Athulathmudali		People's Alliance	Colombo	16 August 1994– 18 August 2000
Amara Badra Dissanayake		United National Party	National List	16 August 1994– 18 August 2000
Ferial Ashraff		People's Alliance	Digamadulla	10 October 2000– 7 February 2004
Ferial Ashraff		United People's Freedom Alliance	Digamadulla	2 April 2004– 9 February 2010
Surangani Ellawala		People's Alliance	Ratnapura	10 October 2000– 10 October 2001
Somakumari Tennakoon		People's Alliance	Kurunegala	10 October 2000– 7 February 2004
Yvonne Sriyani Fernando		People's Alliance	Puttalam	10 October 2000– 10 October 2001
Chandrani Bandara Jayasinghe		United National Party	Anuradhapura	10 October 2000– 3 March 2020
A. R. Anjan Umma		Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna	National List	10 October 2000– 10 October 2001
A. R. Anjan Umma		Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna	Gampaha	5 December 2001– 7 February 2004
Larine Perera		United National Party	Puttalam	5 December 2001– 9 February 2010
Mallika de Mel		People's Alliance	Matara	5 December 2001– 7 February 2004
Chitra Srimathi Mantilake		United National Party	Kandy	5 December 2001– 7 February 2004
Sujatha Alahakoon		United People's Freedom Alliance	Matale	2 April 2004– 9 February 2010
Thalatha Atukorale		United National Party	Ratnapura	2 April 2004– 3 March 2020
Thalatha Atukorale		Samagi Jana Balawegaya	Ratnapura	3 March 2020– 21 August 2024
Pathmini Sithamparanathan		Tamil National Alliance	Jaffna	2 April 2004– 9 February 2010
Thangeswary Kathiraman		Tamil National Alliance	Batticaloa	2 April 2004– 9 February 2010
Sudarshani Fernandopulle		United People's Freedom Alliance	Gampaha	22 April 2010– 3 March 2020
Sudarshani Fernandopulle		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Gampaha	20 August 2020– 24 September 2024
Sriyani Wijewickrama		United People's Freedom Alliance	Digamadulla	22 April 2010– 3 March 2020
Rosy Senanayake		United National Party	Colombo	22 April 2010– 26 June 2015
Upeksha Swarnamali		United National Party	Gampaha	22 April 2010– 26 June 2015
Vijayakala Maheswaran		United National Party	Jaffna	22 April 2010– 3 March 2020
Malini Fonseka		United People's Freedom Alliance	National List	22 April 2010– 26 June 2015
Kamala Ranathunga		United People's Freedom Alliance	National List	22 April 2010– 26 June 2015
Anoma Gamage		United National Party	National List	22 April 2010– 3 March 2020
Rohini Kumari Wijerathna		United National Party	Matale	1 September 2015– 3 March 2020
Rohini Kumari Wijerathna		Samagi Jana Balawegaya	Matale	20 August 2020– present
Hirunika Premachandra		United National Party	Colombo	1 September 2015– 3 March 2020
Geetha Kumarasinghe		United People's Freedom Alliance	Galle	1 September 2015– 3 May 2017
Geetha Kumarasinghe		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Galle	20 August 2020– 24 September 2024
Thusitha Wijemanne		United National Party	Kegalle	1 September 2015– 3 March 2020
Shanthi Sriskantharajah		Tamil National Alliance	National List	1 September 2015– 3 March 2020
Kokila Gunawardena		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Gampaha	20 August 2020– 24 September 2024
Seetha Arambepola		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	National List	20 August 2020– 24 September 2024
Muditha Prishanthi		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Ratnapura	20 August 2020– 24 September 2024
Rajika Wickramasinghe		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Kegalle	20 August 2020– 24 September 2024
Manjula Dissanayake		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	National List	20 August 2020– 24 September 2024
Harini Amarasuriya		National People's Power	National List	20 August 2020– 24 September 2024	Appointed Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on 23 September 2024.
Harini Amarasuriya		National People's Power	Colombo	21 November 2024– present	Appointed Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on 23 September 2024.
Diana Gamage		Samagi Jana Balawegaya	National List	20 August 2020– 2021	Disqualified from parliament after the Supreme Court ruled she was not a Sri Lankan citizen.
Diana Gamage		Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	National List	2021– 8 May 2024
Hemali Weerasekara		National People's Power	Gampaha	21 November 2024– present
Saroja Savithri Paulraj		National People's Power	Matara	21 November 2024– present
Sagarika Athauda		National People's Power	Kegalle	21 November 2024– present
Kaushalya Ariyarathne		National People's Power	Colombo	21 November 2024– present
Oshani Umanga		National People's Power	Kalutara	21 November 2024– present
Krishnan Kaleichelvi		National People's Power	Nuwara Eliya	21 November 2024– present
Nilanthi Kottahachchi		National People's Power	Kalutara	21 November 2024– present
Chathuri Gangani		National People's Power	Monaragala	21 November 2024– present
Nilusha Gamage		National People's Power	Ratnapura	21 November 2024– present
Samanmalee Gunasinghe		National People's Power	Colombo	21 November 2024– present
Thushari Jayasinghe		National People's Power	Kandy	21 November 2024– present
Anushka Thilakarathne		National People's Power	Nuwara Eliya	21 November 2024– present
Muthumenike Rathwatte		National People's Power	Ampara	21 November 2024– present
Nayanathara Premathilake		National People's Power	Galle	21 November 2024– present
Deepthi Wasalage		National People's Power	Matale	21 November 2024– present
Hiruni Wijesinghe		National People's Power	Puttalam	21 November 2024– present
Ambika Samuel		National People's Power	Badulla	21 November 2024– present
Lakmali Hemachandra		National People's Power	National List	21 November 2024– present
Geetha Herath		National People's Power	Kurunegala	21 November 2024– present
Chamindrani Kiriella		Samagi Jana Balawegaya	Kandy	21 November 2024– present

References

^ "Profile: Chandrika Kumaratunga". BBC. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
^ Bhattacharjya, Satarupa. "Just 10 women in Parliament – a disappointing showing". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2 August 2013.
^ "From 3% to 61%: Six major records NPP broke in historic election victory". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 2025-06-05.
^ ^a ^b "Lady Members". Parliament.lk. Retrieved 2 August 2013.

External links

Lady Members of Parliament

[1] "Profile: Chandrika Kumaratunga". BBC. Retrieved 2 August 2013.

[2] Bhattacharjya, Satarupa. "Just 10 women in Parliament – a disappointing showing". Sunday Times. Retrieved 2 August 2013.

[3] "From 3% to 61%: Six major records NPP broke in historic election victory". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 2025-06-05.

[:0-4] "Lady Members". Parliament.lk. Retrieved 2 August 2013.

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