History & Past Ombudsmen

Inception and Expansion of the office

Established in 1981 and located at No.222, Galle Road, Colombo 04. In 1989, amendments have been added to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration Act No.17 of 1981.  Hence, some of the Articles have been amended by Act No.16 of 1991. By 1989, office was relocated to No. 594/3, Galle Road, Colombo 03. Steps have been taken to convert the status of first Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration post into a pensionable post. Accordingly, a gazette notification was published on 02.08.1991 to award pension rights to Mr. S.S. Wijesinghe, as per the provisions of Article 24 of the Pensions Minute.

1st  Ombudsman    –      07.09.1981 – 31.07.1991

Mr. Samson Sena Wijesinghe

Functioned as an Advocate to the Government from 1948 to 1963,

and then, as Secretary to the House of Representatives from 27.10.1964 to 22.05.1972

Thereafter, he was appointed as Secretary to the National State Council from 23.05.1972 to 07.09.1978

Retired after functioning in the capacity of Secretary General of Parliament from 08.09.1978 to 07.08.1981.

He is considered as an important officer, who played a pioneering role in the establishment of the

Office of the Parliamentary Commissioner for Administration and later contributed immensely to the advancement of this office.

2nd Ombudsman    –     01.08.1991 – 20.08.1993 

Mr. L.H. De Alwis (Former Supreme Court  Judge)

(Lucian Hector De Alwis)

3rd Ombudsman    –     21.08.1993 – 30.11.1994 

Mr. D.H.J. Abeygunasekera (Sri Lanka Administrative Service)

(Don Harry Justin Abeygunasekera)

4th Ombudsman   –     23.01.1995 – 25.08.2000  

Prof. B.E.S.J. Bastiampillai (Bertram Emil Saint Jin Bastiampillai)

Faculty of History and Political Science – Colombo University

5th Ombudsman   –     01.06.2001 – 06.02.2010      

Dr.R.B. Ranaraja  (Ranjith Bandara Ranaraja)

(Former Appeal Court Judge)

6th Ombudsman   –     23.06.2010 – 22.01.2019    

Mr. L.A. Tissa Ekanayake (Lankanatha Ashanka Tissa Ekanayake)

(‍Retired High Court Judge)

7th Ombudsman –  30.01.2019 -31.03.2023

Justice K.T.Chitrasiri

(Retired Supreme Court Judge)