Leader of the Opposition (Sri Lanka)

Leader of the Opposition of Sri Lanka
Incumbent R. Sampanthan since 3 September 2015
Term length	While leader of the largest political party not in government

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The Leader of the Opposition in Sri Lanka is the politician who leads the main opposition party. This is the leader of the largest party not within the government, usually the leader of the second largest party in the Parliament. The post of Leader of the Opposition is a political office common in countries that are part of the Commonwealth of Nations.

R. Sampanthan is the opposition leader, since 3 September 2015

Leaders of the Opposition of Sri Lanka (1947–present)

Those who have served as President or Prime Minister are indicated in italics.

Leader of the Opposition			Term of office		Political Party
No.	Portrait	Name (Birth–Death)	Took office	Left office
1	N. M. Perera		14 October 1947	8 April 1952	Lanka Sama Samaja Party
2	S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike		9 June 1952	18 February 1956	Sri Lanka Freedom Party
(1)	N. M. Perera (2nd Term)		19 April 1956	5 December 1959	Lanka Sama Samaja Party
3	C. P. de Silva		30 March 1960	23 April 1960	Sri Lanka Freedom Party
4	Dudley Senanayake		5 August 1960	17 December 1964	United National Party
5	Sirimavo Bandaranaike		5 April 1965	25 March 1970	Sri Lanka Freedom Party
6	J. R. Jayewardene		7 June 1970	18 May 1977	United National Party
7	A. Amirthalingam		4 August 1977	24 October 1983	Tamil United Liberation Front
8	Anura Bandaranaike		8 November 1983	20 December 1988	Sri Lanka Freedom Party
(5)	Sirimavo Bandaranaike (2nd Term)		9 March 1989	24 June 1994	Sri Lanka Freedom Party
9	Gamini Dissanayake		25 August 1994	24 October 1994	United National Party
10	Ranil Wickremesinghe		28 October 1994	10 October 2001	United National Party
11	Ratnasiri Wickremanayake		18 December 2001	31 January 2002	Sri Lanka Freedom Party
12	Mahinda Rajapaksa		6 February 2002	7 February 2004	Sri Lanka Freedom Party
(10)	Ranil Wickremesinghe (2nd Term)		22 April 2004	9 January 2015	United National Party
14	Nimal Siripala de Silva		16 January 2015	26 June 2015	Sri Lanka Freedom Party
15	R. Sampanthan		3 September 2015	present	Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi

References

External links

• Parliament of Sri Lanka - Handbook of Parliament, Leaders of the Opposition

See also

• President of Sri Lanka
• Prime Minister of Sri Lanka