Rulers: Sri Lanka
Provinces from 1988
Central
Governors
Jun 1988 - 1 Feb 1990 Edwin Hurulle (b. 1919 - d. 2009)
1 Feb 1990 - May 1994 P.C. Imbulana (b. 1920 - d. 2012)
May 1994 - 1998 E.L. Senanayake (b. 1920 - d. 2000)
1998 - 2000 Stanley Tillekeratne (b. 1928? - d. 2005)
1 Feb 2000 - 2001 T.K. Dassanayake (b. 19... - d. 2006)
2001 - 27 Jun 2002 K.B. Ratnayake (b. 1924 - d. 2004)
27 Jun 2002 - 26 Sep 2005 Monty Gopallawa (b. 1941 - d. 2005)
Sep 2005 - 16 Dec 2005 Jagath Balasuriya (acting) (b. 1940)
16 Dec 2005 - 27 Jan 2015 Tikiri Kobbekaduwa (b. 1955)
27 Jan 2015 - 14 Mar 2016 Surangani Ellawala (f) (b. 1939 - d. 2016)
17 Mar 2016 - 12 Apr 2018 Niluka Ekanayake (f)
12 Apr 2018 - 13 Apr 2018 Reginald Cooray (b. 1947 - d. 2023)
13 Apr 2018 - 4 Jan 2019 P.B. Dissanayake
4 Jan 2019 - 5 Aug 2019 Satendra Maithri Gunaratne
5 Aug 2019 - 21 Nov 2019 Rajith Keerthi Thennakoon
21 Nov 2019 - Lalith U Gamage
Chief ministers
9 Jun 1988 - Jun 1998 W.M.P.B. Dissanayake (1st time) (b. 1927 - d. 2003)
Jun 1998 - Apr 1999 vacant
Apr 1999 - Jun 1999 Sarath Ekanayake (1st time)
Jun 1999 - 6 Nov 2000 Nandimithra Ekanayake (b. 1943)
6 Nov 2000 - 30 Apr 2002 Sarath Ekanayake (2nd time)
30 Apr 2002 - 29 May 2003 W.M.P.B. Dissanayake (2nd time) (s.a.)
19 May 2003 - 18 Jul 2004 Wasantha Aluvihare (b. 1962)
(acting to 5 Jun 2003 [for Dissanayake to 29 May 2003])
18 Jul 2004 - 8 Oct 2018 Sarath Ekanayake (3rd time)
Eastern
1 Jan 2007 created at division of North Eastern province
Governors
1 Jan 2007 - 27 Jan 2015 Mohan Wijewickrema (b. 1953)
27 Jan 2015 - 4 Jul 2017 Austin Fernando
4 Jul 2017 - 4 Jan 2019 Rohitha Bogollagama (b. 1954)
4 Jan 2019 - 5 Jun 2019 M.L.A.M. Hizbullah (b. 1963)
5 Jun 2019 - 4 Dec 2019 Shan Wijayalal de Silva
4 Dec 2019 - 17 May 2023 Anuradha Yahampath (f)
17 May 2023 - Senthil Thondaman (b. 1964)
Chief ministers
16 May 2008 - 18 Sep 2012 Sivanesathurai Chandrakanthan (b. 1975)
18 Sep 2012 - 6 Feb 2015 Mohamed Najeeb Abdul Majeed (b. 1957)
6 Feb 2015 - 30 Sep 2017 Hafiz Nazeer Ahamed
North Central
Governors
5 May 1988 - 22 Apr 1989 D.B. Welagedera (b. 1915 - d. 1989)
11 May 1989 - 10 May 1994 E.L. Senanayake (b. 1920 - d. 2000)
11 May 1994 - 7 Sep 1994 Edwin Hurulle (b. 1919 - d. 2009)
7 Sep 1994 - 12 Jul 1998 Maithripala Senanayake (b. 1916 - d. 1998)
18 Aug 1998 - 27 Aug 2003 G.M.S. Samaraweera (b. 1937? - d. 2006)
27 Aug 2003 - 13 Nov 2006 Jagath Balasuriya (b. 1940)
13 Nov 2006 - 27 Jan 2015 Karunarathna Divulgane
27 Jan 2015 - 12 Apr 2018 P.B. Dissanayake
12 Apr 2018 - 4 Jan 2019 M.P. Jayasinghe
4 Jan 2019 - 4 Dec 2019 Sarath Ekanayake
4 Dec 2019 - 23 Mar 2020 Tissa Vitharana (b. 1934)
23 Mar 2020 - Mahipala Herath
Chief ministers
8 May 1988 - 2 May 1996 G.D. Mahindasoma
2 May 1996 - Jun 1998 Jayasena Dissanayake
Jun 1998 - Apr 1999 vacant
Apr 1999 - Jun 1999 Jayani Dissanayake (f)
Jun 1999 - 24 Sep 2012 Berty Premalal Dissanayake (b. 1954 - d. 2013)
24 Sep 2012 - 28 Jan 2015 S.M. Ranjith
28 Jan 2015 - 1 Oct 2017 Peshala Jayaratne
North Eastern
1 Jan 2007 divided into Northern and Eastern provinces
Governors
30 Nov 1988 - 30 Nov 1993 Nalin Seneviratne (b. 1931 - d. 2009)
30 Nov 1993 - 23 Aug 1994 Lionel Fernando
13 Jan 1995 - 20 Oct 1998 Gamini Fonseka (b. 1936 - d. 2004)
13 Nov 1998 - 30 Nov 2004 Asoka Jayawardena
6 Dec 2004 - 20 Jan 2006 Tyronne Fernando (b. 1941 - d. 2008)
20 Jan 2006 - 31 Dec 2006 Mohan Wijewickrema (b. 1953)
Chief ministers
10 Dec 1988 - 10 Mar 1990 Varatharaja Perumal
10 Mar 1990 - 31 Dec 2006 vacant
North Western
Governors
1 Jun 1988 - 31 Jan 1989 Dingiri Banda Wijetunga (b. 1922 - d. 2008)
1 Feb 1989 - 13 Oct 1993 Montague Jayawickrema (b. 1911 - d. 2001)
13 Oct 1993 - 7 Jul 1994 Karunasena Kodituwakku (b. 1945)
8 Jul 1994 - 12 Jan 1995 Anandatissa de Alwis (b. 1919 - d. 1996)
13 Jan 1995 - 3 Jan 1999 Hector Arawwawala (b. 19... - d. 2013)
3 Jan 1999 - 30 Apr 2004 Siripala Jayaweera
30 Apr 2004 - 5 Oct 2007 Dharmadasa Wanniarachchi (b. 1921 - d. 2007)
6 Oct 2007 - 23 Jan 2015 Tissa Reginald Balalla (b. 1937)
23 Jan 2015 - 12 Apr 2018 Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake (f)
12 Apr 2018 - 4 Jan 2019 K.C. Logeswaran
4 Jan 2019 - 21 Nov 2019 Peshala Jayarathna Bandara
21 Nov 2019 - 31 Aug 2020 A.J.M. Muzammil (b. 1949)
31 Aug 2020 - 7 Dec 2021 Raja Collure (b. 1938 - d. 2021)
9 Dec 2021 - 17 May 2023 Wasantha Karannagoda (b. 1952)
17 May 2023 - Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena (b. 1955)
Chief ministers
4 May 1988 - 19 Oct 1993 Gamini Jayawickrama Perera (b. 1941 - d. 2024)
19 Oct 1993 - 27 Aug 1994 G.M. Premachandra (b. 1940 - d. 1994)
27 Aug 1994 - Feb 1999 R. Nimal Bandara
Feb 1999 - 2002 S.B. Nawinna (b. 1946)
2002 - 3 Oct 2013 Athula Wijesinghe
3 Oct 2013 - 8 Sep 2015 Dayasiri Jayasekara (b. 1969)
8 Sep 2015 - 10 Oct 2018 Dharmasiri Dassanayake
Northern
1 Jan 2007 created at division of North Eastern province
Governors
1 Jan 2007 - 3 Jul 2008 Mohan Wijewickrema (acting) (b. 1953)
3 Jul 2008 - 10 Oct 2008 Victor Perera (b. 1948? - d. 2023)
10 Oct 2008 - 12 Jul 2009 Dickson Sarathchandra Dela
12 Jul 2009 - 27 Jan 2015 G.A. Chandrasiri (b. 1954)
27 Jan 2015 - 16 Feb 2016 H.M.G.S. Palihakkara (b. 1947)
16 Feb 2016 - 7 Jan 2019 Reginald Cooray (b. 1947 - d. 2023)
7 Jan 2019 - 30 Dec 2019 Suren Raghavan
30 Dec 2019 - 11 Oct 2021 P.S.M. Charles (f) (1st time)
11 Oct 2021 - 17 May 2023 Jeevan Thiagarajah
17 May 2023 - P.S.M. Charles (f) (2nd time)
Chief minister
7 Oct 2013 - 25 Oct 2018 C.V. Vigneswaran (b. 1939)
Sabaragamuwa
Governors
30 Apr 1988 - 1993 Noel Wimalasena
1993 - 9 Jun 2005 C.N. Saliya Mathew (b. 19... - d. 2022)
9 Jun 2005 - Feb 2008 Reggie Ranatunga (b. 1937 - d. 2008)
22 Feb 2008 - 2 Oct 2008 Dickson Sarathchandra Dela
2 Oct 2008 - 12 May 2009 Mohan Saliya Ellawala (b. 1948 - d. 2009)
May 2009 - 5 Jul 2009 Alavi Moulana (acting) (b. 1932 - d. 2016)
5 Jul 2009 - 21 Apr 2010 Janaka Priyantha Bandara (b. 1968)
21 Apr 2010 - 27 Jan 2015 W.J.M. Lokubandara (b. 1941 - d. 2021)
27 Jan 2015 - 12 Apr 2018 Marshal Perera (b. 1931? - d. 2020)
12 Apr 2018 - 7 Jan 2019 Niluka Ekanayake (f)
7 Jan 2019 - 21 Nov 2019 Dhamma Dissanayake
21 Nov 2019 - 13 Jun 2023 Tikiri Kobbekaduwa (b. 1955)
13 Jun 2023 - Navin Dissanayake (b. 1969)
Chief ministers
Apr 1988 - Apr 1989 G.V. Punchinilame
10 Apr 1989 - Mar 1993 Abeyratne Pilapitiya
Mar 1993 - Jun 1998 Jayatilake Podinilame (b. 1946 - d. 2013)
Jun 1998 - Apr 1999 vacant
Apr 1999 - Jun 1999 Kantha Gunatilleke
Jun 1999 - Oct 2000 Athauda Seneviratne (b. 1931 - d. 2022)
Oct 2000 - 13 Dec 2001 Asoka Jayawardena
13 Dec 2001 - 16 Jul 2004 Mohan Saliya Ellawala (s.a.)
16 Jul 2004 - 26 Sep 2017 Mahipala Herath
Southern
Governors
13 Jun 1988 - Dec 1993 M.A. Bakeer Markar (b. 1917 - d. 1997)
Dec 1993 - Dec 1994 Leslie Mervyn Jayaratna
Jan 1995 - 20 Sep 1999 Neville Kanakaratne (b. 1923 - d. 1999)
1999 - 2002 Ananda Dassanayake (b. 1920 - d. 2012)
1 Feb 2002 - 23 Oct 2006 Kingsley Wickramaratne (b. ... - d. 2008)
23 Oct 2006 - 23 Jan 2015 Kumari Balasuriya (f) (b. 1949)
23 Jan 2015 - 12 Apr 2018 Hemakumara Nanayakkara (b. 1953)
12 Apr 2018 - 9 Jan 2019 Marshal Perera (b. 1931? - d. 2020)
9 Jan 2019 - 5 Aug 2019 Rajith Keerthi Thennakoon
5 Aug 2019 - 21 Nov 2019 Hemal Gunasekara (b. 1959)
21 Nov 2019 - Willie Gamage
Chief ministers
16 Jun 1988 - Oct 1993 M.S. Amarasiri (b. 1925 - d. 2007)
Oct 1993 - Jan 1994 Amarasiri Dodangoda (1st time) (b. 1942 - d. 2009)
Jan 1994 - Mar 1994 vacant
Mar 1994 - Sep 1994 Amarasiri Dodangoda (2nd time) (s.a.)
Sep 1994 - 21 Dec 2001 Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena (b. 1945)
21 Dec 2001 - 16 Jul 2004 H.G. Sirisena
16 Jul 2004 - 2019 Shan Wijayalal de Silva
Uva
Governors
4 May 1988 - 31 Jan 1990 P.C. Imbulana (b. 1920 - d. 2012)
2 Feb 1990 - 24 Mar 1993 Tilak Ratnayake
25 Mar 1993 - 31 Dec 1994 Abeyratne Pilapitiya
Jan 1995 - 31 Oct 1999 Ananda Dassanayake (b. 1920 - d. 2012)
1 Nov 1999 - 24 Apr 2003 M.S. Amarasiri (b. 1925 - d. 2007)
25 Apr 2003 - 27 Jan 2015 C. Nanda Mathew (b. 1940 - d. 2019)
27 Jan 2015 - 12 Apr 2018 M.P. Jayasinghe
12 Apr 2018 - 11 May 2018 P.B. Dissanayake
(acting from 13 Apr 2018)
11 May 2018 - 7 Jan 2019 Ariya Bandara Rekawa (b. 1941)
7 Jan 2019 - 9 Jan 2019 Rajith Keerthi Tennakoon
9 Jan 2019 - 5 Aug 2019 Marshal Perera (b. 1931? - d. 2020)
5 Aug 2019 - 21 Nov 2019 Satendra Maithri Gunaratne
21 Nov 2019 - 31 Aug 2020 Raja Collure (b. 1938 - d. 2021)
31 Aug 2020 - A.J.M. Muzammil (b. 1949)
Chief ministers
May 1988 - Jun 1998 Percy Samaraweera (b. 1929 - d. 1999)
Jun 1998 - Apr 1999 vacant
Apr 1999 Nalini Weerawanni (f)
Apr 1999 - 29 Oct 2001 Samaraweera Weerawanni
29 Oct 2001 - 22 Jul 2004 A.M. Buddhadasa
22 Jul 2004 - 20 Aug 2009 Gamini Vijith Vijayamuni Soysa
20 Aug 2009 - 14 Jan 2015 Shashindra Rajapakse (b. 1976)
14 Jan 2015 - Sep 2015 Harin Fernando (b. 1978)
15 Sep 2015 - 8 Oct 2019 Chamara Sampath Dassanayake (b. 1971)
Western
Governors
6 Jun 1988 - 10 Jun 1994 Suppiah Sharvananda (b. 1923 - d. 2007)
10 Jun 1994 - 1 Dec 1994 D.M. Swaminathan
3 Jan 1995 - Jan 2000 K. Vignarajah
21 Jan 2000 - 1 Feb 2002 P. Ramanathan (b. 1932 - d. 2006)
1 Feb 2002 - 23 Jan 2015 Alavi Moulana (b. 1932 - d. 2016)
23 Jan 2015 - 12 Apr 2018 K.C. Logeswaran
12 Apr 2018 - 4 Jan 2019 Hemakumara Nanayakkara (b. 1953)
4 Jan 2019 - 4 Jun 2019 Azath Salley
4 Jun 2019 - 21 Nov 2019 A.J.M. Muzammil (b. 1949)
21 Nov 2019 - 24 Mar 2020 Seetha Arambepola (f)
24 Mar 2020 - Roshan Goonetileke (b. 1956)
Chief ministers
9 Jun 1988 - 16 Mar 1993 Susil Moonesinghe (b. 1930 - d. 2012)
2 Jun 1993 - 22 Aug 1994 Chandrika Kumaratunga (f) (b. 1945)
22 Aug 1994 - 11 Jul 1995 Morris Rajapakse (b. ... - d. 1995)
13 Jul 1995 - Jun 1998 Susil Premajayantha (1st time) (b. 1955)
Jun 1998 - Apr 1999 vacant
Apr 1999 - 9 Nov 2000 Susil Premajayantha (2nd time) (s.a.)
9 Nov 2000 - May 2004 Reginald Cooray (1st time) (b. 1947 - d. 2023)
May 2004 - 16 Jul 2004 vacant
16 Jul 2004 - 22 Jun 2005 Reginald Cooray (2nd time) (s.a.)
22 Jun 2005 - 3 Jul 2005 Nandana Mendis
3 Jul 2005 - 4 May 2009 Reginald Cooray (3rd time) (s.a.)
4 May 2009 - 8 Sep 2015 Prasanna Ranatunga (b. 1967)
8 Sep 2015 - 21 Apr 2019 Isuru Devapriya