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 current 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.

Name		Political Party	Tenure
Leaders of the Opposition in the House of Representatives (1947–1972)
	N. M. Perera	Lanka Sama Samaja Party	14 October 1947 – 8 April 1952
	S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike	Sri Lanka Freedom Party	9 June 1952 – 18 February 1956
	N. M. Perera (2nd Term)	Lanka Sama Samaja Party	19 April 1956 – 5 December 1959
	C. P. de Silva	Sri Lanka Freedom Party	30 March 1960 – 23 April 1960
	Dudley Senanayake	United National Party	5 August 1960 – 17 December 1964
	Sirimavo Bandaranaike	Sri Lanka Freedom Party	5 April 1965 – 25 March 1970
	J. R. Jayewardene	United National Party	7 June 1970 – 22 May 1972
Leaders of the Opposition in the National State Assembly (1972–1978)
	J. R. Jayewardene	United National Party	22 May 1972 – 18 May 1977
	A. Amirthalingam	Tamil United Liberation Front	4 August 1977 – 7 September 1978
Leaders of the Opposition in the Parliament (1978–Present)
	A. Amirthalingam	Tamil United Liberation Front	7 September 1978 – 24 October 1983
	Anura Bandaranaike	Sri Lanka Freedom Party	8 November 1983 – 20 December 1988
	Sirimavo Bandaranaike (2nd Term)	Sri Lanka Freedom Party	9 March 1989 – 24 June 1994
	Gamini Dissanayake	United National Party	25 August 1994 – 24 October 1994
	Ranil Wickremesinghe	United National Party	28 October 1994 – 10 October 2001
	Ratnasiri Wickremanayake	Sri Lanka Freedom Party	18 December 2001 – 31 January 2002
	Mahinda Rajapaksa	Sri Lanka Freedom Party	6 February 2002 – 7 February 2004
	Ranil Wickremesinghe (2nd Term)	United National Party	22 April 2004 – 9 January 2015
	Nimal Siripala de Silva	Sri Lanka Freedom Party	16 January 2015 – 26 June 2015
	R. Sampanthan	Illankai Tamil Arasu Kachchi	3 September 2015 - Present