2015 in Sri Lanka
The following lists notable events that took place during the year 2015 in Sri Lanka.
Incumbents
- President: Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena
- Prime Minister: D. M. Jayaratne, Ranil Wickremesinghe
Governors
- Central Province – Tikiri Kobbekaduwa ; Surangani Ellawala
- Eastern Province – Mohan Wijewickrama ; Austin Fernando
- North Central Province – Karunarathna Divulgane ; P. B. Dissanayake
- Northern Province – G. A. Chandrasiri ; H. M. G. S. Palihakkara
- North Western Province – Tissa Balalla ; Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake
- Sabaragamuwa Province – W. J. M. Lokubandara ; Marshal Perera
- Southern Province – Kumari Balasuriya ; Hemakumara Nanayakkara
- Uva Province – Nanda Mathew ; M. P. Jayasinghe
- Western Province – Alavi Moulana ; K. C. Logeswaran
Chief Ministers
- Central Province – Sarath Ekanayake
- Eastern Province – M. N. Abdul Majeed ; Ahamed Nazeer Zainulabdeen
- North Central Province – S. M. Ranjith ; Peshala Jayarathne
- Northern Province – C. V. Vigneswaran
- North Western Province – Dayasiri Jayasekara ; Dharmasiri Dassanayake
- Sabaragamuwa Province – Maheepala Herath
- Southern Province – Shan Wijayalal De Silva
- Uva Province:
- * until 14 January – Shasheendra Rajapaksa
- * 14 January–1 September – Harin Fernando
- * from 15 September – Chamara Sampath Dassanayake
- Western Province – Prasanna Ranatunga ; Isura Devapriya
Events
January
- 8 January – 2015 Sri Lankan presidential election: Over 12 million voters elect a new president. Incumbent president Mahinda Rajapaksa ran for a third term as a candidate of the UPFA. His main challenger is joint opposition candidate and former Minister of Health Maithripala Sirisena. In a major upset, Sirisena wins with 51.28% of the vote, followed by Rajapaksa with 47.58% of the vote.
- 9 January:
- * Mahinda Rajapaksa concedes defeat to Maithripala Sirisena in the presidential election, and Sirisena is sworn in as the 7th President of Sri Lanka.
- * Prime Minister D. M. Jayaratne resigns, following their agreement prior to the election, United National Party leader Ranil Wickremesinghe is sworn in as the new prime minister by Sirisena.
- 11 January – The new Sri Lankan government announces that it will investigate allegations of a coup attempt by Mahinda Rajapaksa, said to be a bid by the former president to retain power after his defeat at the polls.
March
- 18 March – Sri Lankan cricketers Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara retire from One International Cricket following the team's defeat against South Africa. Jayawardene ends an 18-year career as the fifth highest ODI run scorer of all time. Sangakkara ends a 15-year career as second highest ODI scorer of all time.
May
- 13 May – Sivaloganathan Vithiya, an 18 year old schoolgirl in Pungudutivu is gang raped and murdered.
August
- 15 August – Sri Lankan cricketer Kumar Sangakkara officially retires from all International Cricket after his last Test match against India.
- 17 August – 2015 Sri Lankan parliamentary election: The United National Front for Good Governance led by the United National Party wins the most seats but fails to secure a majority in parliament, winning 45.66% of the popular vote and 106 seats.
- 21 August – Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, leader of the UNFGG and UNP, forms a national government with the support of UPFA MPs loyal to incumbent president Maithripala Sirisena.
Deaths
February
- 1 February - Victor Wickramage, Actor
- 4 February - Sisira Senaratne,79, Singer
April
- 27 April – Daya Alwis, 72, actor
May
- 12 May - Neranjan Wikcramasinghe, Politician
- 30 May – Somalatha Subasinghe, 78, actress
June
- 16 June – Tony Ranasinghe, 77, acter
September
- 26 September – Ana Seneviratne, 88, former Sri Lankan Inspector-General of Police
November
- 15 November – Damitha Saluwadane, 67, actress
December
- 3 December – Sunil Hettiarachchi, 78, actor
- 23 December – Christy Leonard Perera, 83, actor