{{short description|none}} <!-- "none" is preferred when the title is sufficiently descriptive --> {{Year in Sri Lanka|2015}}
The following lists notable events that took place during the year '''2015 in Sri Lanka'''.
==Incumbents== *President: Mahinda Rajapaksa (until 9 January), Maithripala Sirisena (from 9 January) *Prime Minister: D. M. Jayaratne (until 9 January), Ranil Wickremesinghe (from 9 January)
===Governors=== * Central Province – Tikiri Kobbekaduwa (until 19 January); Surangani Ellawala (from 27 January) * Eastern Province – Mohan Wijewickrama (until January); Austin Fernando (from January) * North Central Province – Karunarathna Divulgane (until 27 January); P. B. Dissanayake (from 27 January) * Northern Province – G. A. Chandrasiri (until 27 January); H. M. G. S. Palihakkara (from 27 January) * North Western Province – Tissa Balalla (until 23 January); Amara Piyaseeli Ratnayake (from 23 January) * Sabaragamuwa Province – W. J. M. Lokubandara (until 27 January); Marshal Perera (from 27 January) * Southern Province – Kumari Balasuriya (until 23 January); Hemakumara Nanayakkara (from 23 January) * Uva Province – Nanda Mathew (until 27 January); M. P. Jayasinghe (from 27 January) * Western Province – Alavi Moulana (until 23 January); K. C. Logeswaran (from 23 January)
===Chief Ministers=== * Central Province – Sarath Ekanayake * Eastern Province – M. N. Abdul Majeed (until 6 February); Ahamed Nazeer Zainulabdeen (from 6 February) * North Central Province – S. M. Ranjith (until 28 January); Peshala Jayarathne (from 28 January) * Northern Province – C. V. Vigneswaran * North Western Province – Dayasiri Jayasekara (until 8 September); Dharmasiri Dassanayake (from 8 September) * 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 (until 4 May); Isura Devapriya (from 4 May)
==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.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-30708899 | title=Sri Lanka's Maithripala Sirisena looks to have toppled Rajapaksa | date=9 January 2015 | accessdate=11 January 2015}}</ref> * 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.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jan/09/sri-lanka-election-shock-as-president-mahinda-rajapaksa-concedes-defeat | title=Sri Lanka election: shock as president Mahinda Rajapaksa concedes defeat | website=TheGuardian.com | date=9 January 2015 | accessdate=11 January 2015}}</ref> ** 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.<ref>{{cite news |date=9 January 2015 |title=Ranil new Prime Minister |url=http://www.dailymirror.lk/60865/ranil-new-prime-minister |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190727033327/http://www.dailymirror.lk/60865/ranil-new-prime-minister |archive-date=27 July 2019 |access-date=10 January 2015 |work=DailyMirror.lk}}</ref> * 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.<ref>{{cite web | url=http://www.dw.de/sri-lanka-to-investigate-rajapaksa-coup-and-conspiracy-attempt/a-18184514 | title=Sri Lanka to investigate Rajapaksa 'coup and conspiracy' attempt | date=11 January 2015 | accessdate=13 January 2015}}</ref>
===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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://newsfirst.lk/english/2015/03/sangakkara-and-mahela-bid-farewell-as-south-africa-proceeds-to-semi-final/84144|title=Sangakkara and Mahela bid farewell as South Africa proceed to the Semi Final|date=18 March 2015|publisher=}}</ref>
===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.<ref>{{citation |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/0/cricket/33298534 |title=Kumar Sangakkara: Sri Lanka batsman set to retire |first=Kumar |last=Sangakkara |publisher=BBC |date=27 June 2015 |accessdate=27 June 2015}}</ref> * 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.<ref>{{cite news |date=18 August 2015 |title=Sri Lanka elections: UNP victory as Rajapaksa faces setback |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33970289 |work=BBC News}}</ref> * 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.<ref>{{cite news |date=21 August 2015 |title=Sri Lanka forms unity government |url=http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/asia/664876/unity-government-for-sri-lanka |work=Bangkok Post}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=21 August 2015 |title=Rajapakse's opposition party joins Sri Lanka government |url=http://www.themalaymailonline.com/world/article/rajapakses-opposition-party-joins-sri-lanka-government |work=Malay Mail |agency=Agence France-Presse}}</ref>
==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
==References== {{reflist}}
{{Years in Sri Lanka}} {{Asia topic|2015 in}}
Category:2015 in Sri Lanka Category:2010s in Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Category:Years of the 21st century in Sri Lanka