The Parliament of Sri Lanka and its predecessors (the National State Assembly, the Parliament of Ceylon and the State Council of Ceylon) have included women Members of Parliament or other applicable representatives continuously since 1931. Adeline Molamure, daughter of J. H. Meedeniya and wife of Alfred Francis Molamure, both State Councillors, was the first woman representative, elected to the State Council in the 1931 election.

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.

The 17th Parliament of Sri Lanka, the current parliament elected in 2024, has the highest number of female legislators with 22 female MPs.

Number of women Number of women in Parliament by House Number of women in the Sri Lankan Parliament (1931–2024): #LegislatureYearsin Parliament%in House%in Senate% 1st Ceylonese State Council 1931–1936 2 3.4% 2 3.4% colspan="2" rowspan="2" align="center" 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% colspan="2" rowspan="12" align="center" 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 135.7%135.7% 18th Sri Lankan Parliament 2010–2015 13 5.7% 13 5.7% 19th Sri Lankan Parliament 2015–2020 135.7%135.7%20thSri Lankan Parliament2020–2024125.3%125.3%21stSri Lankan Parliament2024–2028229.8%229.8%

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.

Service RepresentativeParty Electorate Years Notes Adeline Molamure colspan=2 Ruwanwella June 1931–7 December 1935 Elected in by-electionFirst woman to be elected to the State Council of Ceylon (first elected female legislator) Naysum Saravanamuttu colspan=2 Colombo North June 1931–4 July 1947 Second woman to be elected to the State Council Florence Senanayake Kiriella September 1947–8 April 1952 First female to be elected to Parliament Cissy Cooray colspan=2 1947–1952 First female to be appointed to the Senate of Ceylon Kusumasiri Gunawardena Avissawella 1948–18 February 1956 Second female to be elected to Parliament Elected unopposed in by-election Kiriella April 1956–5 December 1959 Tamara Kumari Ilangaratne Kandy June 1949–8 April 1952 Third female to be elected to Parliament Elected in by-election Galagedara 27 May 1970–18 May 1977 Doreen Wickremasinghe Akuressa May 1952–18 February 1956 Clodagh Jayasuriya 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 Mirigama April 1956–5 December 1959 First female cabinet minister Kusuma Rajaratne Welimada September 1957–5 December 1959 Elected in by-election Uva–Paranagama 19 March 1960–25 March 1970 Evelyn de Soysa colspan=2 April 1959–1963 Appointed member of the Senate of Ceylon Wimala Kannangara United National Party Galigamuwa 19 March 1960–23 April 196022 March 1965–25 March 197021 July 1977–20 December 1988 Soma Wickremanayake 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 Mirigama 22 March 1965–18 May 1977 Leticia Rajapaksa Dodangaslanda 22 March 1965–25 March 1970 Elected in by-election Mallika Ratwatte Balangoda 22 March 1965–18 May 1977 Elected in by-election Seetha Seneviratne Balangoda October 1967–April 1970 Appointed member of the Senate of Ceylon Kusala Abhayavardhana Borella 27 May 1970–18 May 1977 Renuka Herath United National Party Walapane 21 July 1977–20 December 1988 Nuwara Eliya 15 February 1989–18 August 2000 Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake United National Party Wariyapola 21 July 1977–20 December 1988 Kurunegala 15 February 1989–9 February 2010 Sunethra Ranasinghe colspan=2 Dehiwala–Mount Lavinia 21 July 1977–20 December 1988 Elected in by-election Colombo 15 February 1989–24 June 1994 Rupa Sriyani Daniel United National Party Hewaheta 21 July 1977–20 December 1988 Nominated National List 15 February 1989–24 June 1994 Ranganayaki Pathmanathan colspan=2 Pottuvil 21 July 1977–20 December 1988 Nominated Daya Sepali Senadheera colspan=2 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 colspan=2 Harispattuwa 21 July 1977–20 December 1988 Nominated Keerthilatha Abeywickrema colspan=2 Deniyaya 21 July 1977–20 December 1988 Nominated Samantha Karunaratne colspan=2 Rambukkana 21 July 1977–20 December 1988 Nominated Kegalle 15 February 1989–24 June 1994 Sumitha Priyangeni Abeyweera Kalutara 15 February 1989–24 June 1994 Sujatha Dharmawardana Puttalam 15 February 1989–24 June 1994 Chandra Karunaratne Badulla 15 February 1989–24 June 1994 Rasamanohari Pulendran Vanni 15 February 1989–24 June 1994 Hema Ratnayake Badulla 15 February 1989–24 June 1994 16 August 1994–18 August 2000 Daya Amarakeerthi Galle 15 February 1989–24 June 1994 Chandrika Kumaratunga 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 Monaragala 16 August 1994–7 February 2004 2 April 2004–3 March 2020 Sumitha Priyangani Abeyweera Kalutara 16 August 1994–18 August 2000 Nirupama Rajapaksa Hambantota 16 August 1994–18 August 2000 2 April 2004–9 February 2010 Pavithra Devi Wanniarachchi Ratnapura 16 August 1994–7 February 2004 2 April 2004–3 March 2020 20 August 2020–24 September 2024 Srimanee Athulathmudali Colombo 16 August 1994–18 August 2000 Amara Badra Dissanayake National List 16 August 1994–18 August 2000 Ferial Ashraff Digamadulla 10 October 2000–7 February 2004 2 April 2004–9 February 2010 Surangani Ellawala Ratnapura 10 October 2000–10 October 2001 Somakumari Tennakoon Kurunegala 10 October 2000–7 February 2004 Yvonne Sriyani Fernando Puttalam 10 October 2000–10 October 2001 Chandrani Bandara Jayasinghe Anuradhapura 10 October 2000–3 March 2020 A. R. Anjan Umma Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna National List 10 October 2000–10 October 2001 Gampaha 5 December 2001–7 February 2004 Larine Perera Puttalam 5 December 2001–9 February 2010 Mallika de Mel Matara 5 December 2001–7 February 2004 Chitra Srimathi Mantilake Kandy 5 December 2001–7 February 2004 Sujatha Alahakoon Matale 2 April 2004–9 February 2010 Thalatha Atukorale Ratnapura 2 April 2004–3 March 2020 3 March 2020–21 August 2024 Pathmini Sithamparanathan Jaffna 2 April 2004–9 February 2010 Thangeswary Kathiraman Batticaloa 2 April 2004–9 February 2010 Sudarshani Fernandopulle Gampaha 22 April 2010–3 March 2020 20 August 2020–24 September 2024 Sriyani Wijewickrama Digamadulla 22 April 2010–3 March 2020 Rosy Senanayake Colombo 22 April 2010–26 June 2015 Upeksha Swarnamali Gampaha 22 April 2010–26 June 2015 Vijayakala Maheswaran Jaffna 22 April 2010–3 March 2020 Malini Fonseka National List 22 April 2010–26 June 2015 Kamala Ranathunga National List 22 April 2010–26 June 2015 Anoma Gamage National List 22 April 2010–3 March 2020Rohini Kumari Wijerathna Matale 1 September 2015–3 March 2020 20 August 2020–present Hirunika Premachandra Colombo 1 September 2015–3 March 2020 Geetha Kumarasinghe Galle 1 September 2015–3 May 2017 20 August 2020–24 September 2024 Thusitha Wijemanne Kegalle 1 September 2015–3 March 2020 Shanthi Sriskantharajah National List 1 September 2015–3 March 2020 Kokila Gunawardena Gampaha 20 August 2020–24 September 2024 Seetha Arambepola National List 20 August 2020–24 September 2024 Muditha Prishanthi Ratnapura 20 August 2020–24 September 2024 Rajika Wickramasinghe Kegalle 20 August 2020–24 September 2024 Manjula Dissanayake National List 20 August 2020–24 September 2024Harini AmarasuriyaNational People's Power National List 20 August 2020–24 September 2024Appointed Prime Minister of Sri Lanka on 23 September 2024. Colombo 21 November 2024–present Diana Gamage National List 20 August 2020–2021Disqualified from parliament after the Supreme Court ruled she was not a Sri Lankan citizen. 2021–8 May 2024 Hemali Weerasekara Gampaha 21 November 2024–present Saroja Savithri Paulraj Matara 21 November 2024–present Sagarika Athauda Kegalle 21 November 2024–present Kaushalya Ariyarathne Colombo 21 November 2024–present Oshani Umanga Kalutara 21 November 2024–present Krishnan Kaleichelvi Nuwara Eliya 21 November 2024–present Nilanthi Kottahachchi Kalutara 21 November 2024–present Chathuri Gangani Monaragala 21 November 2024–present Nilusha Gamage Ratnapura 21 November 2024–present Samanmalee Gunasinghe Colombo 21 November 2024–present Thushari Jayasinghe Kandy 21 November 2024–present Anushka Thilakarathne Nuwara Eliya 21 November 2024–present Muthumenike Rathwatte Ampara 21 November 2024–present Nayanathara Premathilake Galle 21 November 2024–present Deepthi Wasalage Matale 21 November 2024–present Hiruni Wijesinghe Puttalam 21 November 2024–present Ambika Samuel Badulla 21 November 2024–present Lakmali Hemachandra National List 21 November 2024–present Geetha Herath Kurunegala 21 November 2024–present Chamindrani Kiriella Kandy 21 November 2024–present

See also Parliament of Sri Lanka List of female cabinet ministers of Sri Lanka

References

External links Lady Members of Parliament