Harini Amarasuriya took office as the new Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, making her the first female leader since Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 2000 to be in power. The 54-year-old leader of the National People's Power (NPP) was sworn in by recently elected President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.
President of the country also constituted his four-member cabinet, which includes himself. Dissanayake, at 56 years old, took the oath as the ninth president of Sri Lanka recently after winning the presidential election.
Harini has been given the responsibilities of overseeing the Minister of Justice, Education, Labour, Industries, Science & Tech, Health, and Investment portfolios. She took over as Prime Minister after Dinesh Gunawardena stepped down following the presidential election. Amarasuriya, a rights activist and university lecturer, became Sri Lanka's first female Prime Minister in 1994 after Sirimavo Bandaranaike and the third woman to hold the position in the country's past.
National People's Power (NPP) members Vijitha Herath and Laxman Nipunarachchi were appointed as cabinet ministers after taking their oaths. They would act as the caretaker government following the upcoming dissolution of parliament in order to announce a sudden parliamentary election. Officials mentioned that the election might take place towards the end of November.
