Sri Lanka will see its highest-ever number of women representatives in Parliament when the new session begins on November 21. In the general election held on November 14, 21 women were elected as Members of Parliament (MPs), marking a significant milestone. This record surpasses the previous highest of 13 women MPs, with women’s representation never exceeding 6 percent of Parliament until now.
Among the newly elected women, 19 belong to the National People’s Power (NPP) Party, including nine lawyers, who are poised to make a notable contribution to the professionalization of the legal field in various sectors.
Notable among them is Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya, who led the NPP’s Colombo District campaign and garnered 655,299 preferential votes—the second-highest number of preferential votes ever received by a Sri Lankan parliamentary candidate. Other notable NPP candidates include Dr. Kaushalya Ariyaratne and Samanmali Gunasinghe, who were also elected from the Colombo District. Dr. Kaushalya received 80,814 votes, while Samanmali, a graduate in Psychology from the University of Peradeniya, earned 59,658 votes.
Among the lawyers elected to Parliament are Nilanthi Kottahachchi and Oshani Umanga, both of whom contested from Kalutara. Kottahachchi received 131,375 preferential votes, securing the second spot in the Kalutara preferential list, while Umanga, an entrepreneur, garnered 69,932 votes.
Hemali Sujeewa, a teacher from Gampaha, was elected with 66,737 votes. Sagarika Athauda, another lawyer, contested from Kegalle and received 59,019 votes. Lawyer Nilusha Lakmali, elected from Ratnapura, secured 48,791 votes, while Thushari Jayasinghe, also a lawyer, was elected from Kandy with 58,223 votes.
In Nuwara Eliya, two women were elected: lawyer Anushka Thilakaratne with 34,035 votes, and social activist Krishnan Kalaichelviya, who received 33,346 votes.
Deepthi Wasalage, a physics graduate from the University of Peradeniya, received 47,482 preferential votes to secure her seat. Lawyer Hazara Nayanathara Premathilaka, who contested from Galle, received 82,058 votes. Saroja Savitri Paulrajya, a teacher from Matara, earned 48,379 votes.
Ambiga Selvam, a young woman from a plantation worker family, made history by becoming the first person from such a background to be elected to Parliament. She secured 58,201 votes from the Badulla District.
Chathurie Gangani, a teacher elected from Monaragala, received 42,930 votes. Lawyer Geetha Rathnakumari was elected from Kurunegala with 84,414 votes, while Hiruni Wijesinghe, another lawyer from Puttalam, earned 44,057 votes.
Muthumanike Ratwatte, a former army officer, was elected from the Digamadulla District with 32,145 votes.
The final two women elected to Parliament are from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB). Chamindrani Kiriella, a lawyer and daughter of veteran politician Lakshman Kiriella, was elected from Kandy with 30,780 votes. Rohini Kaviratne who represented the previous parliament from Matale District elected again with 27,048 votes. She is also a teacher by profession.
This historic achievement reflects the increasing role of women in Sri Lankan politics and the growing representation of women in leadership positions across various fields.
