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The Cabinet of Sri Lanka is the council of ministers that form the central government of Sri Lanka. It is responsible to and answerable to parliament.
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As of 6 April 2016 the cabinet had 47 members - president, prime minister and 45 ministers. There are also 20 state ministers and 25 deputy ministers who are not members of the cabinet.
Background
The Executive Council of Ceylon was the Executive Council created in British Ceylon by the British colonial administration on the recommendations of the Colebrooke-Cameron Commission along with the Legislative Council of Ceylon, as the legislative body, on March 13, 1833.
At its creation the Executive Council was headed by the Governor, along with five members appointed by the Governor. These five members were officials who held the posts of the Colonial Secretary, the Attorney General, the Auditor-General, the Treasurer and the General Officer Commanding, Ceylon. The Council exercised executive power and advised the governor. As a result of the First Manning Reforms three non-officials were elected to the executive council.
With enactment of the new constitution of the Dominion of Ceylon in 1947 the Executive Council was replaced by a National Cabinet.
Composition
The president is a member of and head of the cabinet. The president appoints as prime minister a Member of Parliament who has the confidence of parliament. Other ministers of the cabinet are appointed by the president in consultation with the prime minister. The president may appoint himself to any ministry he chooses. According to the constitution the president must be the Minister of Defence. The President also appoints, in consultation with the Prime Minister, ministers who are not a member of the Cabinet (Non-Cabinet Ministers, Project Ministers, Deputy Ministers). The cabinet meets several times a week to discuss vital issues.