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Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana | |
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| මහින්ද යාපා අබේවර්ධන மகிந்த யாப்பா அபேவர்தன | |
 Abeywardena in 2023 | |
| 21st Speaker of the Parliament | |
| In office 20 August 2020 – 24 September 2024 | |
| Deputy | Ranjith Siyambalapitiya Ajith Rajapakse |
| Preceded by | Karu Jayasuriya |
| Succeeded by | Asoka Ranwala |
| Minister of Parliamentary Affairs | |
| In office February 2015 – May 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Sumedha Jayasena |
| Succeeded by | Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena |
| Minister of Agriculture | |
| In office 2010 – 12 January 2015 | |
| Preceded by | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Succeeded by | Duminda Dissanayake |
| Minister of Cultural Affairs | |
| In office 2005–2010 | |
| Preceded by | Vijitha Herath |
| Deputy Minister of Healthcare & Nutrition | |
| In office 2004–2005 | |
| Preceded by | Sajith Premadasa |
| 3rdChief Minister of Southern Province | |
| In office 1994–2001 | |
| Preceded by | Amarasiri Dodangoda |
| Succeeded by | H. G. Sirisena |
| Member of Parliament forMatara District | |
| In office 2001 – 24 September 2024 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1945-10-10)10 October 1945 (age 80) |
| Political party | Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna |
| Other political affiliations | Sri Lanka People's Freedom Alliance,United National Party |
| Children | 5 |
| Alma mater | University of Colombo, Rahula College, Matara, Thelijjawila Central College |
| Occupation | Land Proprietor |
| Profession | Politician |
Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena (born 10 October 1945) is aSri Lankan politician and land proprietor. He was theSpeaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka from 2020 to 2024.[1]
He first entered parliament in 1983 as part of theHakmanaUnited National Party and has been active in politics for more than 30 years.[2]
Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena was a young MP when he openly criticised the 1987Indo-Sri Lanka Accord for establishing a new provincial councils system in Sri Lanka. He along with Chandrakumara Wijeya Gunawardena, the member forKamburupitiya voted against the bill in Parliament becoming the only two government members who voted against it. He was later removed by the then PresidentJ. R. Jayewardene from his Parliamentary seat for violation of the party rules by not voting for the bill.
He later joined hands withGamini Dissanayake andLalith Athulathmudali (who were also against the Indo-Sri Lanka Accord) as they too quitUnited National Party and formed theDemocratic United National Front or aka 'Rajaliya-front'. Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena then contested for Southern Provincial Council under DUNF and won. He was then elected as the opposition leader of the Southern Provincial Council in 1993, and he became the Chief Minister of the Southern Provincial Council in 1994. Elected twice as the Chief Minister he was in office from 1994 to 2001. He is said to be one of the most successful Chief Ministers from the south for developing the infrastructure that was neglected for more than 5 years due to the dark era of the country.
He left office to contest in the 2001 general elections and become an opposition MP and served until 2004. After the 2004 General elections, he became the Deputy Minister of Healthcare and later the Cabinet Minister for Cultural Affairs & National Heritage. After the 2010 General Elections, he was appointed as the Minister of Agriculture. Having been in office as the Minister of Agriculture for several years he was elected Vice Chairman at the 38th session of theFood and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations FAO Conference held inRome, Italy in 2013.[3] He was again appointed as the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs in 2015 for a brief period until he resigned and joined the opposition.
He is a representative ofMatara District in theParliament of Sri Lanka. He resides inKalubowila,Dehiwala.
Abeywardena who was a Rajapakse ally was mostly criticized by the opposition and media for acting biased from the speaker's seat. On 5 March 2024, the main opposition partySamagi Jana Balawegaya handed over a no-confidence motion against him claiming his actions to failure to protect the constitution by signing the Online Safety Bill and ignoring the Supreme Court’s recommendations pertaining to Sections 13, 17, 20, 33 (6), 34 (1), 35 (1), 21, 22 and 33. This was the first no-confidence motion against a Speaker of Parliament in the history of Sri Lanka.[4] He was also criticized for being blatantly violated at the constitutional council to appoint inspector general of police, when we did not have the voting authority, but cast his vote.[5]
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka 2020–2024 | Succeeded by |
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