Early general elections are held amid a political power struggle. Party of President Kumaratunga wins 105 of 225 parliamentary seats, falling short of overall majority. Mahinda Rajapakse is sworn in as prime minister.
Timeline of events under "Parliamentary elections" issue
A new Government, led by Ranil Wickramasinghe, comes to power after the opposition United National Party narrowly wins the parliamentary election.
President Kumaratunga's People's Alliance wins general elections.
SLFP's President Kumaratunga is elected as Prime Minister.
The 9th parliamentary elections are held for the first time under a proportional representation scheme.
The JVP holds a rally in Jaffna aiming to contest the elections in the North and East.
General elections return UNP, led by J.R. Jayewardene, to power. The TULF party wins all seats in Tamil dominated areas.
Opposition United National Party, headed by Dudley Senanayake, forms a coalition government including the major Tamil party the Federal Party, in the absence of a clear majority.
Srimavo Bandaranaike, widow of S.W.R.D. Bandaranaike, becomes world’s first female prime minister.
Solomon W.R.D. Bandaranaike is elected as prime minister, in a landslide victory of the Sri Lankan Freedom Party (SLFP).
UNP wins general elections. Dudley Senanayake becomes prime minister.
The Governor General, Lord Soulbury, appoints Dudley Senanayake, then Minister of Agriculture and Lands, as prime minister, on the death of D. S. Senanayake. Parliament is subsequently dissolved to allow for general elections.
