Second Gotabaya Rajapaksa cabinet

The second Gotabaya Rajapaksa cabinet is the incumbent central government of Sri Lanka led by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa. It was formed in August 2020 after the parliamentary election. As of 26 November 2020 the cabinet had 27 members – president, prime minister and 25 ministers. There are also 38 state ministers who are not members of the cabinet. One cabinet minister is also a state minister.

Second Gotabaya Rajapaksa cabinet
Cabinet of Sri Lanka
Date formed	12 August 2020
People and organisations
Head of state	Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Head of government	Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Deputy head of government	Mahinda Rajapaksa
Member parties	Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance   Eelam People's Democratic Party   Sri Lanka Freedom Party
Status in legislature	Majority coalition 148 / 225 (66%)
Opposition party	Samagi Jana Balawegaya
Opposition leader	Sajith Premadasa
History
Election(s)	5 August 2020
Legislature term(s)	16th Parliament (2020–)
Predecessor	Gotabaya Rajapaksa I

Cabinet members

Ministers appointed under article 43(1) of the constitution.

Name	Portrait	Party		Office	Took office	Left office	^Refs.
Gotabaya Rajapaksa			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	President	18 November 2019[lower-alpha 1]		[1]
				Minister of Defence[lower-alpha 2]	26 November 2020		[8]
				Minister of Technology	26 November 2020		[8]
Mahinda Rajapaksa			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Prime Minister	21 November 2019[lower-alpha 1]		[9][10][11][12]
				Minister of Buddha Sasana, Religious and Cultural Affairs	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
				Minister of Finance	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
				Minister of Urban Development and Housing	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Rohitha Abeygunawardena			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Ports and Shipping	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Dullas Alahapperuma			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Power	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Mahindananda Aluthgamage			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Agriculture	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Mahinda Amaraweera			Sri Lanka Freedom Party[14]	Minister of Environment	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
S. M. Chandrasena			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Lands	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Nimal Siripala de Silva			Sri Lanka Freedom Party[14]	Minister of Labour	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Douglas Devananda			Eelam People's Democratic Party	Minister of Fisheries	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Johnston Fernando			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Highways	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Udaya Gammanpila			Pivithuru Hela Urumaya	Minister of Energy	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Bandula Gunawardena			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Trade	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Dinesh Gunawardena			Mahajana Eksath Peramuna	Minister of Foreign Relations	22 November 2019[lower-alpha 1]		[2][3][13]
Gamini Lokuge			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Transport	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Vasudeva Nanayakkara			Democratic Left Front	Minister of Water Supply	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Ramesh Pathirana			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Plantation	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
G. L. Peiris			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Education	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Namal Rajapaksa			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Youth and Sports	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Chamal Rajapaksa			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Irrigation	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Keheliya Rambukwella			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Mass Media	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Prasanna Ranatunga			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Tourism	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
C. B. Ratnayake			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Wildlife and Forest Conservation	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Ali Sabry			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Justice	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Janaka Bandara Tennakoon			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Public Services, Provincial Councils and Local Government	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Pavithra Devi Wanniarachchi			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Health	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]
Sarath Weerasekara			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	Minister of Public Security	26 November 2020		[15][16][17]
Wimal Weerawansa			National Freedom Front	Minister of Industries	12 August 2020		[2][3][13]

State ministers

Ministers appointed under article 44(1) of the constitution.

Name	Portrait	Party		Office	Took office	Left office	^Refs.
Lasantha Alagiyawanna			Sri Lanka Freedom Party[14]	State Minister of Co-operative Services, Marketing Development and Consumer Protection	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Dilum Amunugama			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Vehicle Regulation, Bus Transport Services and Train Compartments and Motor Car Industry	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Indika Anuruddha			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Rural Housing and Construction and Building Material Industries	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Seetha Arambepola			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Skills Development, Vocational Education, Research and Innovation	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Tharaka Balasuriya			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Regional Co-operation	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Vijitha Berugoda			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Dhamma Schools, Bhikku Education, Piriven and Buddhist Universities	12 August 2020	25 September 2020	[2][3][18][19]
				State Minister of Dhamma Schools, Pirivenas and Bhikkhu Education	25 September 2020		[20]
Ajith Nivard Cabraal			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Money and Capital Market and State Enterprise Reforms	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
D. V. Chanaka			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Aviation and Export Zones Development	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Mohan de Silva			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Production and Supply of Fertilizer and Regulation of Chemical Fertilizer and Insecticide Use	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Piyal Nishantha de Silva			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Women and Child Development, Pre-Schools and Primary Education, School Infrastructure and School Services	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Duminda Dissanayake			Sri Lanka Freedom Party[14]	State Minister of Solar Power, Wind and Hydro Power Generation Projects Development	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Wimalaweera Dissanayake			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Wildlife Protection, Adoption of Safety Measures including the Construction of Electrical Fences and Trenches and Reforeststation and Forest Resource Development	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Arundika Fernando			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Coconut, Kithul, Palmyrah and Rubber Cultivation Promotion and Related Industrial Product Manufacturing and Export Diversification	12 August 2020	25 September 2020	[2][3][18][19]
				State Minister of Coconut, Kithul and Palmyrah Cultivation Promotion and Related Industrial Product Manufacturing and Export Diversification	25 September 2020		[20]
Sudarshani Fernandopulle			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Prisons Reforms and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation	12 August 2020	30 November 2020	[2][3][18][21]
				State Minister of Primary Health Care, Epidemics and Covid Disease Control	30 November 2020		[22][23]
Siripala Gamalath			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Canals and Common Infrastructure Development in Settlements in Mahaweli Zones	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Nalaka Godahewa			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Urban Development, Coast Conservation, Waste Disposal and Community Cleanliness	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
D. B. Herath			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Livestock, Farm Promotion and Dairy and Egg Related Industries	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Kanaka Herath			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Company Estate Reforms, Tea Estate Related Crops, Tea Factory Modernization and Tea Export Promotion	12 August 2020	25 September 2020	[2][3][18][19]
				State Minister of Company Estate Reforms, Tea and Rubber Estates Related Crops Cultivation and Factories Modernization and Tea and Rubber Export Promotion	25 September 2020		[20]
Sisira Jayakody			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Indigenous Medicine Promotion, Rural and Ayurvedic Hospitals Development and Community Health	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Anuradha Jayaratne			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Tanks, Reservoirs and Irrigation Development Related to Rural Paddy Fields	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Piyankara Jayaratne			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Foreign Employment Promotions and Market Diversification	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Dayasiri Jayasekara			Sri Lanka Freedom Party[14]	State Minister of Batik, Handloom and Local Apparel Products	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Channa Jayasumana			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Production, Supply and Regulation of Pharmaceuticals	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Nimal Lanza			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Rural Roads and Other Infrastructure	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Sanath Nishantha			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Rural and Divisional Drinking Water Supply Projects Development	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Susil Premajayantha			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Education Reforms, Open Universities and Distance Learning Promotion	26 August 2020		[24][25][26]
Chamal Rajapaksa			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Internal Security, Home Affairs and Disaster Management	12 August 2020	26 November 2020	[2][3][18][27]
				State Minister of National Security, Home Affairs and Disaster Management	26 November 2020		[15][16][17]
Shasheendra Rajapaksa			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Paddy and Grains, Organic Food, Vegetables, Fruits, Chillies, Onion and Potato Cultivation Promotion, Seed Production and Advanced Technology Agriculture	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Roshan Ranasinghe			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Land Management, State Enterprises Land and Property Development	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Prasanna Ranaweera			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Rattan, Brass, Pottery, Furniture and Rural Industrial Promotion	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Lohan Ratwatte			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Gem and Jewelry Related Industries	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
				State Minister of Prison Management and Prisoners’ Rehabilitation	30 November 2020		[23][28][29]
Jayantha Samaraweera			National Freedom Front	State Minister of Warehouse Facilities, Container Yards, Port Supply Facilities and Boats and Shipping Industry Development	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Shehan Semasinghe			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Samurdhi, Household Economy, Micro Finance, Self Employment, Business Development and Underutilized State Resources Development	12 August 2020	25 September 2020	[2][3][18][19]
				State Minister of Samurdhi, Household Economy, Micro Finance, Self Employment and Business Development	25 September 2020		[20]
Jeevan Thondaman			Ceylon Workers' Congress	State Minister of Estate Housing and Community Infrastructure	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Thenuka Vidanagamage			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Rural and School Sports Infrastructure Improvement	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
S. Viyalendiran			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Postal Services and Professional Development of Journalists	12 August 2020	6 October 2020	[2][3][18][19]
				State Minister of Backward Rural Areas Development and Promotion of Domestic Animal Husbandry and Minor Economic Crop Cultivation	6 October 2020		[20]
Janaka Wakkumbura			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Development of Minor Crops including Sugarcane, Maize, Cashew, Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Betel Related Industries and Export Promotion	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Sarath Weerasekara			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Provincial Councils and Local Government	12 August 2020	26 November 2020	[2][3][18][27]
Vidura Wickremanayake			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of National Heritage, Performing Arts and Rural Arts Promotion	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]
Kanchana Wijesekera			Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna	State Minister of Ornamental Fish, Inland Fish and Prawn Farming, Fishery Harbour Development, Multiday Fishing Activities and Fish Exports	12 August 2020		[2][3][18]

Notes

1. Continuation of same office held in previous cabinet.
2. In August 2020 it was reported that President Gotabaya Rajapaksa had assigned the defence portfolio to himself.[2][3] This violated article 43(2) of the Constitution of Sri Lanka, introduced by the 19th amendment, which allows only Members of Parliament to be in charge of ministries (the president is not a Members of Parliament).[4][5] The defence portfolio was omitted from the official gazette notifying the cabinet appointments in August 2020.[6] The 20th amendment, passed in October 2020, removed article 43(2).[7]

References

1. "Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Proclamation" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2150/41. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 21 November 2019. p. 1A. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
2. Bandara, Kelum (13 August 2020). "newly sworn Cabinet: New MPs receive more executive authority in new government". Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
3. "New Cabinet sworn in". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
4. Srinivasan, Meera (12 August 2020). "Sri Lanka Cabinet sworn in". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
5. Balachandran, P. K. (14 August 2020). "Lankan President Takes Defence Portfolio, Sparks Controversy". The Citizen. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
6. "Sri Lanka defence portfolio left out of gazette". Economy Next. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 15 August 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
7. Bandara, Kelum (24 November 2020). "New Ministry for Police service". Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
8. "Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka - Notification" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2203/33. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 26 November 2020. p. 1A. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
9. "Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Appointments & C., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2151/18. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 26 November 2019. p. 1A. Retrieved 26 November 2019.
10. "Part I : Section (I) — General - Appointments & C., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2188/40. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 13 August 2020. p. 1A. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
11. "Mahinda Rajapaksa sworn in as Sri Lanka's PM after record victory". Al Jazeera. Doha, Qatar. 8 August 2020. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
12. Srinivasan, Meera (9 August 2020). "Mahinda Rajapaksa takes oath as Sri Lankan Prime Minister". The Hindu. Chennai, India. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
13. "Part I : Section (I) — General - Appointments & C., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2188/42. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 13 August 2020. pp. 1A–2A. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
14. "Five among 14 SLFP MPs get portfolios". Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 12 August 2020. Retrieved 12 August 2020.
15. "Sarath Weerasekara sworn in as Minister for Public Security". Daily Mirror. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 26 November 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
16. Farzan, Zulfick (26 November 2020). "New Cabinet & State Minister sworn in : PMD". News First. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
17. "Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Appointments & C., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2203/33. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 26 November 2020. p. 2A. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
18. "Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Appointments & C., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2188/43. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 13 August 2020. pp. 1A–4A. Retrieved 14 August 2020.
19. "Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Notification" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2196/26. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 6 October 2020. pp. 1A–2A. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
20. "Part I : Section (I) — General - Appointments & C., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2196/26. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 6 October 2020. p. 2A. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
21. "Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Notification" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2204/28. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 4 December 2020. p. 1A. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
22. Pothmulla, Lahiru (30 November 2020). "Dr. Sudarshani Fernandopulle appointed Infectious Diseases & Covid-19 Prevention State Minister". The Sunday Morning. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
23. "Part I : Section (I) — General - Appointments & C., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2204/28. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 4 December 2020. p. 2A. Retrieved 6 December 2020.
24. "Part I : Section (I) — General - Appointments & C., by the President" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2191/34. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 3 September 2020. p. 1A. Retrieved 4 September 2020.
25. "Susil Premajayantha sworn-in as State Minister". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 26 August 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
26. Farzan, Zulfick (26 August 2020). "Susil Premajayantha takes oath as State Minister". News First. Colombo, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
27. "Part I : Section (I) — General - Government Notifications - Notification" (PDF). The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Extraordinary. No. 2203/33. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 26 November 2020. p. 2A. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
28. "Lohan Ratwatte made State Minister in charge of prisons". Daily FT. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 3 December 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
29. "Lohan Ratwatte gets new State Ministry portfolio". Daily News. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 2 December 2020. Retrieved 7 December 2020.