17th Parliament of Sri Lanka
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Parliament of Sri Lanka
Overview
Legislative body	Parliament of Sri Lanka
Meeting place	Sri Lankan Parliament Building
Term	21 November 2024 (2024-11-21) –
Election	14 November 2024
Website	parliament.lk
Parliamentarians
Members	225
Speaker	Asoka Ranwala (NPP) (2024) Jagath Wickremerathna (NPP) (2024–)
Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees	Rizvie Salih (NPP)
Deputy Chairperson of Committees	Hemali Weerasekara (NPP)
Prime Minister	Harini Amarasuriya (NPP)
Leader of the Opposition	Sajith Premadasa (SJB)
Leader of the House	Bimal Rathnayake (NPP)
Chief Government Whip	Nalinda Jayatissa (NPP)
Chief Opposition Whip	Gayantha Karunathilaka (SJB)
Structure
Sessions
1st 21 November 2024 (2024-11-21) –  ()

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Part of a series on the
Aragalaya
Rajapaksa family Corruption Politics
Background
Existing political culture Authoritarianism Bribery Censorship Corruption Cronyism Enforced disappearances Extrajudicial killings Fake news Gender inequality Hate speech Impunity Kleptocracy Nepotism Political dynasties State terrorism
Pre-2022 political instabilty 2015 presidential election coup attempt 2015 parliamentary election 15th parliament (Yahapalana Government) Central Bank bond scandal anti-Muslim riots 2018 2019 2018 constitutional crisis 2019 Easter bombings 2019 presidential election 2020 parliamentary election 16th parliament
Economic crisis (2019–present)
Causes COVID-19 pandemic Tax cuts and money creation Agricultural catastrophe Foreign exchange crisis Russian invasion of Ukraine Global energy crisis
Effects Political crisis IMF loan Poverty
Political crisis (2022–present)
Opponents & demands Opponents Rajapaksa family & SLPP politicians Ranil Wickremesinghe & UNP politicians Demands 1. Resignation of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa 2. Accountability for corruption 3. Economic reforms 4. Access to essential services 5. Political reforms 6. Youth participation
Protests Occupy Galle Face Gotagogama Mynagogama Black Monday attacks on protesters Resignation of Mahinda Rajapaksa Storming of President's House Flight & Exile of Gotabaya Rajapaksa Flight of Rajapaksa family and associates Crackdown on protests
Government overthrow 16th Parliament Rajapaksa Administration Rajapaksa cabinet I II III IV 2022 Presidential election Wickremesinghe Administration Wickremesinghe cabinet
Elections of 2024 2024 Presidential Dissanayake cabinet 2024 parliamentary 17th Parliament 2024 Elpitiya
Legacy
Legacy Art of the Aragalaya
Politics Sri Lanka
v t e

The 17th Parliament of Sri Lanka (10th Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka) is the current Parliament of Sri Lanka, with its membership determined by the results of the 2024 parliamentary election held on 14 November 2024.^[1][2] The parliament met for the first time on 21 November 2024.^[3]

According to the Constitution of Sri Lanka, the term of the Parliament is 5 years. However, under Article 70 of the Constitution and Section 10 of the Parliamentary Elections Act, No. 1 of 1981, the President of Sri Lanka may dissolve parliament after two years and six months from its first sitting or upon receiving a resolution from parliament. This signifies that the president will possess the constitutional authority to dissolve parliament by decree, effective from 21 May 2027.^[4][5]

Registered electors and seat allocation changes: 2020 to 2024^[11][12][13]

Provinces	Districts	Registered electors		Number of allocated seats
		2020	2024	2020	2024	Change (+/-)
Western	Colombo	1,709,209	1,765,351	19	18	1
	Gampaha	1,785,964	1,881,129	18	19	1
	Kalutara	972,319	1,024,244	10	11	1
Central	Kandy	1,129,100	1,191,399	12	12
	Matale	407,569	429,991	5	5
	Nuwara Eliya	577,717	605,292	8	8
Southern	Galle	867,709	903,163	9	9
	Matara	659,587	686,175	7	7
	Hambantota	493,192	520,940	7	7
Northern	Jaffna	571,848	593,187	7	6	1
	Vanni	287,024	306,081	6	6
Eastern	Batticaloa	409,808	449,686	5	5
	Ampara	513,979	555,432	7	7
	Trincomalee	288,868	315,925	4	4
North Western	Kurunegala	1,348,787	1,417,226	15	15
	Puttalam	614,374	663,673	8	8
North Central	Anuradhapura	693,634	741,862	9	9
	Polonnaruwa	331,109	351,302	5	5
Uva	Badulla	668,166	705,772	9	9
	Monaragala	372,155	399,166	6	6
Sabaragamuwa	Ratnapura	877,582	923,736	11	11
	Kegalle	684,189	709,622	9	9
National List	—	—	—	29	29
Total	—	16,263,885	17,140,354	225	225

The National People's Power (NPP) secured a historic landslide victory in the parliamentary election, winning 61.65% of the popular vote and a supermajority of 159 seats—the largest number ever won by a single party in Sri Lanka's history. The NPP, led by newly-elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, achieved the second-highest proportion of seats in the nation's history and won every district except Batticaloa. This marked the first election since 1977 where a single party obtained a supermajority, and the first time a non-Tamil political party won the Jaffna Electoral District.^[14]

The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) became the main opposition, securing 17.66% of the vote and 40 seats, a significant reduction. Other results included the Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi (ITAK) winning 8 seats, the New Democratic Front (NDF) securing 5, and the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) suffering a drastic decline to just 3 seats from the 145 it held previously.

This election also set records for women's representation, with 21 female MPs elected, the highest in Sri Lanka's history, and saw over 150 first-time MPs entering the legislature.^[15][16]

The NPP nominated Sugath Wasantha de Silva through the national list to be appointed as a Member of Parliament. This marks a significant milestone in Sri Lankan politics, as de Silva is the first visually impaired person to be elected to parliament. A special seating arrangement will be made to accommodate his specific needs.^[17][18]

Party		Votes	%	Seats
				District	National	Total	±
	National People's Power[a]	6,863,186	61.56	141	18	159	+156
	Samagi Jana Balawegaya[b]	1,968,716	17.66	35	5	40	−14
	New Democratic Front[c]	500,835	4.49	3	2	5	+5
	Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	350,429	3.14	2	1	3	−97
	Ilankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi	257,813	2.31	7	1	8	+8
	Sarvajana Balaya[d]	178,006	1.60	0	1	1	+1
	Sri Lanka Muslim Congress	87,038	0.78	2	1	3	+2
	United Democratic Voice	83,488	0.75	0	0	0	New
	United National Party	66,234	0.59	1	0	1	0
	Democratic Tamil National Alliance[e]	65,382	0.59	1	0	1	New
	Democratic Left Front	50,836	0.46	0	0	0	0
	Democratic National Alliance	45,419	0.41	0	0	0	New
	Tamil National People's Front[f]	39,894	0.36	1	0	1	0
	Tamil Makkal Viduthalai Pulikal	34,440	0.31	0	0	0	−1
	All Ceylon Makkal Congress	33,911	0.30	1	0	1	0
	People's Struggle Alliance[g]	29,611	0.27	0	0	0	0
	Eelam People's Democratic Party	28,985	0.26	0	0	0	−2
	Jaffna – Independent Group 17	30,637	0.27	1	0	1	+1
	National Democratic Front	25,444	0.23	0	0	0	0
	United National Alliance	22,548	0.20	0	0	0	New
	Sri Lanka Labour Party	17,710	0.16	1	0	1	+1
	Devana Parapura	16,950	0.15	0	0	0	New
	Thamizh Makkal Koottani	13,295	0.12	0	0	0	New
	Jana Setha Peramuna	12,743	0.11	0	0	0	0
	National Front for Good Governance	8,447	0.08	0	0	0	New
	United National Freedom Front	7,796	0.07	0	0	0	New
	Arunalu Peoples Alliance	7,666	0.07	0	0	0	New
	New Independent Front	7,182	0.06	0	0	0	New
	National People's Party	6,307	0.06	0	0	0	0
	Our Power of People's Party	6,043	0.05	0	0	0	−1
	Tamil United Liberation Front	5,061	0.05	0	0	0	0
	Democratic United National Front	4,480	0.04	0	0	0	0
	Samabima Party	4,449	0.04	0	0	0	New
	Patriotic People's Power	3,985	0.04	0	0	0	New
	Eros Democratic Front	2,865	0.03	0	0	0	New
	Democratic Unity Alliance	2,198	0.02	0	0	0	0
	Socialist Party of Sri Lanka	2,087	0.02	0	0	0	0
	Jathika Sangwardhena Peramuna	1,920	0.02	0	0	0	0
	United Socialist Party	1,838	0.02	0	0	0	0
	Socialist Equality Party	864	0.01	0	0	0	0
	Freedom People's Front	841	0.01	0	0	0	New
	United Peace Alliance	822	0.01	0	0	0	0
	Lanka Janatha Party	759	0.01	0	0	0	New
	Eksath Lanka Podujana Pakshaya	659	0.01	0	0	0	New
	Liberal Democratic Party	635	0.01	0	0	0	New
	Nawa Lanka Nidahas Pakshaya	601	0.01	0	0	0	New
	Nava Sama Samaja Party	491	0.00	0	0	0	New
	Akhila Ilankai Tamil Mahasabha	450	0.00	0	0	0	0
	Democratic Party	283	0.00	0	0	0	New
	Sri Lanka Mahajana Pakshaya	269	0.00	0	0	0	New
	Independents	245,458	2.20	0	0	0	0
Total		11,148,006	100.00	196	29	225	0
Valid votes		11,148,006	94.35
Invalid/blank votes		667,240	5.65
Total votes		11,815,246	100.00
Registered voters/turnout		17,140,354	68.93
Source: Election Commission of Sri Lanka[19]

The National People's Power (NPP), having secured a supermajority with 159 seats, formed the next government of Sri Lanka. The new cabinet of ministers, sworn in on 18 November 2024, includes 21 members elected in the recent parliamentary election, along with the president, who will retain the portfolios of defence, finance, and digital economy. This was carried out in accordance with Articles 42 to 47 of the Constitution. Harini Amarasuriya will continue as the prime minister, in addition to her ministerial portfolio of education, higher education and vocational education. On 25 November 2024, the president, through an Gazette Extraordinary notification, assigned subjects, functions, departments, statutory institutions, and public corporations to the respective ministries.^[20]

On 21 November 2024, 29 MPs were sworn in as deputy ministers. Anil Jayantha Fernando, the Cabinet Minister for Labour, was assigned the additional role of Deputy Minister for Economic Development alongside his existing responsibilities.^[21]

The new government's first policy statement was presented to the parliament on 21 November 2024 by the president.^[22] A debate on the government's policy statement took place from 3 to 5 December 2024 and was passed unanimously.^[23]

On 26 November 2024, the cabinet spokesman announced that an interim vote on account would be presented to parliament, with a debate scheduled for 5 and 6 December 2024. The budget proposals for 2025 are set to be presented to parliament on 9 January, with the budget speech scheduled for 17 February 2025.^[24] On 5 December 2024, the interim vote on account was presented to parliament, initiating the debate. Following the conclusion of the debate, the vote on account was passed without a formal vote on 6 December 2024.^[25]

NPP's Bimal Rathnayake and Nalinda Jayatissa were appointed as Leader of the House and Chief Government Whip respectively on 19 November 2024 by the president.^[26]

At the inaugural meeting of the new parliament on 21 November 2024, Asoka Ranwala, Rizvie Salih, and Hemali Weerasekara were unanimously elected as Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Chairman of Committees, and Deputy Chairperson of Committees, respectively. Sajith Premadasa of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) was recognised as the Leader of the Opposition. On 3 December 2023, Gayantha Karunathilaka of the SJB was recognised by the Speaker as the Chief Opposition Whip.^[8]

In December 2024, questions about the authenticity of Asoka Ranwala's educational qualifications sparked widespread calls for clarification from academics, officials, politicians, and the public.^[27] Amidst the growing controversy, Ranwala resigned as Speaker of Parliament on 13 December 2024.^[9]

On 17 December 2024, Jagath Wickremerathna was unanimously elected as the next Speaker of Parliament.^[10]