Prime Minister of Ceylon
| Prime Minister of Sri Lanka ශ්රී ලංකා අග්රාමාත්ය இலங்கை பிரதமர் |
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| Style | Mr. Prime Minister (Informal) The Honourable (Formal and diplomatic) |
| Member of | Cabinet |
| Reports to | Parliament |
| Residence | Temple Trees |
| Appointer | President of Sri Lanka |
| Term length | Five years |
| Constituting instrument | Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka |
| Inaugural holder | Don Stephen Senanayake |
| Formation | 14 October 1947 |
| Succession | First in the presidential line of succession |
| Website | Prime Minister's Office |
The Prime Minister of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Sinhalese: ශ්රී ලංකා අග්රාමාත්ය Sri Lanka Agramathya; Tamil: இலங்கை பிரதமர்) is the leader of the cabinet business in Sri Lanka. However, the President is both head of state and head of government in Sri Lanka.
The post of Prime Minister of Ceylon was created in 1947 prior to independence from Britain and the formation of the Dominion of Ceylon in 1948. United National Party leader D. S. Senanayake became the first Prime Minister of Then Ceylon in 1947 after independence. In 1972 when Sri Lanka became a republic the name of the post changed to Prime Minister of Sri Lanka. With a Westminster-based political system established the Prime Minister was the head of government therefore held the most powerful political office of the country at the time. This changed with a constitutional change in 1978, when the Executive Presidency was created, making the President both head of state and head of government. Until 1978 the Prime minister was also the Minister of Defence and External Affairs. The Prime Minister is appointed by the President as a member of the cabinet of ministers. In the event the post president is vacant, the Prime Minister becomes the acting president until Parliament convenes to elect a successor or new elections could be held to elect a new president. This was the case with H.E. President Dingiri Banda Wijetunge. United National Party leaders Dudley Senanayake and Ranil Wickramasinghe together with Sri Lanka Freedom Party leader Sirimavo Bandaranaike was appointed three times to the position. With passing of the 19th amendment to the constitution in 2015, the prime minister was granted more powers when appointing ministers and leading the cabinet.
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