The 8th Parliament of Sri Lanka, known officially as the 1st Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, was a meeting of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, with the membership determined by the results of the 1977 parliamentary election held on 21 July 1977 and first convened on 4 August 1977. It remained in session until its dissolution on 20 December 1988, making it the longest-serving Parliament in Sri Lankan history.
Dominated by the United National Party (UNP) under the leadership of J.R. Jayewardene, this Parliament is widely regarded as one of the most influential in the country's political history. It oversaw the transition from a Westminster-style parliamentary democracy to an Executive presidential system with the adoption of the Second Republican Constitution in 1978, and it played a central role in shaping Sri Lanka's modern political and constitutional framework. Because of its unprecedented longevity consisting of Eight Parliamentary sessions and far-reaching impact, some historians refer to it as the "Long Parliament" of Sri Lanka.
At the 1977 general election, the United National Party (UNP) led by J.R. Jayewardene achieved a historic landslide victory, winning 140 out of 168 seats, thereby securing a supermajority of seats in Parliament. Following the election, Jayewardene was appointed Prime Minister, and using the overwhelming parliamentary majority, his government passed the Second Amendment to the 1972 Constitution, which enabled him to assume office as Sri Lanka's first Executive President on 4 February 1978, marking a pivotal shift in the nation's system of governance.
In 1982, the Parliament's term, originally set to expire in 1983, was extended by six more years through a national referendum held on 22 December 1982. This was the first and only referendum of its kind in Sri Lanka's history, and it allowed the existing Parliament to continue without holding a general election. The move, initiated by President J.R. Jayewardene and backed by the UNP's supermajority, was widely debated and criticized by opposition parties and civil society groups, who viewed it as a blow to democratic norms.
Background The period leading up to the 1977 general election in Sri Lanka was marked by significant political, economic, and social unrest. The ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), led by Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike, had been in power since 1970 after winning a sweeping victory under the United Front coalition. During its term, the government pursued a program of socialist economic reforms, including widespread nationalization, state control over major industries, and restrictions on imports, which led to shortages of essential goods, rising unemployment, and increasing public dissatisfaction.
In 1972, the government adopted a new republican constitution, replacing the Dominion of Ceylon with the Republic of Sri Lanka. The 1972 Constitution created a unicameral National State Assembly, centralized power significantly, and eliminated many of the safeguards that had existed under the Westminster system. While intended to assert national sovereignty and independence, the constitutional changes also led to criticisms of growing authoritarianism and a weakening of institutional checks and balances.
Amidst growing economic hardship, food scarcity, and political repression, public confidence in the SLFP government began to erode. Ethnic tensions between the Sinhala majority and Tamil minority also worsened during this period, particularly with the introduction of policies such as the Sinhala Only Act and university standardization, which disproportionately affected Tamil students and professionals.
In this climate of unrest, the United National Party (UNP), under the leadership of J.R. Jayewardene, campaigned on a platform of economic liberalization, administrative reform, and ethnic reconciliation. The party promised to restore stability, open up the economy, and create job opportunities through free-market policies. The UNP also pledged to restore democracy by curbing excessive state control and introducing a more efficient system of governance.
These factors contributed to a dramatic shift in voter sentiment, culminating in the 1977 general election, which saw the UNP achieve an overwhelming victory and the SLFP suffer a historic defeat, winning only a handful of seats. The outcome marked a decisive turning point in Sri Lankan political history and laid the groundwork for major constitutional and structural changes in the years that followed.
1977 General Election The 8th parliamentary general election in Sri Lanka was held on 21 July 1977 to elect members to the National State Assembly, which later became the 1st Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The election took place amidst widespread public discontent with the ruling Sri Lanka Freedom Party (SLFP), and resulted in a landslide victory for the opposition United National Party (UNP) led by Junius Richard Jayewardene.
Results The UNP secured 140 out of 168 seats, gaining more than 83% of the seats in Parliament—a supermajority of over five-sixths. This was the largest parliamentary majority ever achieved in a Sri Lankan election. The SLFP, which had held 91 seats after the 1970 election, suffered a crushing defeat, winning only 8 seats. The Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF), advocating for Tamil rights and autonomy, emerged as the main opposition party with 18 seats, marking the first time a Tamil nationalist party held that role in Parliament.
Other leftist parties such as the Lanka Sama Samaja Party (LSSP) and the Communist Party of Sri Lanka also suffered major losses. Many prominent ministers of the previous government lost their parliamentary seats.
This was also the last general election held under the first-past-the-post (FPTP) electoral system, before it was replaced by a system of proportional representation (PR) under the 1978 Constitution.
The 1977 General election was the only one ever held under the 1972 constitution.1977 General Election Results
Following the election, J.R. Jayewardene was sworn in as Prime Minister on 23 July 1977 by President William Gopallawa, and the new Parliament convened on 4 August 1977. With an overwhelming mandate, the UNP government moved swiftly to implement sweeping political and constitutional reforms.
Legislation & Constitutional Changes The 1st Parliament of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka was one of the most legislatively active and transformative in the country's history. Empowered by a supermajority, the United National Party (UNP) government, led by J.R. Jayewardene, passed several landmark constitutional amendments and introduced significant structural reforms that reshaped Sri Lanka's political system, electoral process, and ethnic relations.
Second Amendment to the 1972 Constitution (1977) Shortly after assuming office, the government introduced the Second Amendment to the 1972 Constitution, which allowed the Prime Minister to assume the newly created office of Executive President. This amendment set the stage for the transition from a Westminster-style parliamentary democracy to a presidential system, centralizing executive power in a directly elected Head of State. Under its Provisions, Prime Minister Jayawardene assumed the office of the President of Sri Lanka on 4 February 1978, succeeding William Gopallawa. Two days later, he appointed Ranasinghe Premadasa as the new Prime Minister.
Second Republican Constitution of 1978 On 7 September 1978, the Second Republican Constitution was adopted, replacing the 1972 Constitution and officially renaming the country the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka. The new Constitution:
Established an Executive Presidency with wide-ranging powers. Introduced a Proportional Representation (PR) system for parliamentary elections, replacing the previous first-past-the-post (FPTP) system. Created an independent judiciary with a Supreme Court and Court of Appeal. Enshrined fundamental rights for citizens. Changed the legislative body from the National State Assembly to the Parliament of Sri Lanka.
This Constitution, while seen as modernizing the political system, also concentrated substantial power in the executive, raising concerns over accountability and democratic checks and balances.
Third Amendment (1982) In 1982, the Third Amendment was passed, allowing a sitting president to seek re-election after completing four years in office, rather than serving the full six-year term. This enabled President Jayewardene to call an early presidential election, which was held on 20 October 1982. He was re-elected for a second term, defeating the SLFP's Hector Kobbekaduwa.
1982 Referendum Later that year, the government held the first and only national referendum on 22 December 1982, seeking public approval to extend the life of Parliament by six more years without holding a general election. The referendum narrowly passed, allowing the existing Parliament—originally elected in 1977—to remain in office until 1989, avoiding the scheduled 1983 general election. This move was criticized by opposition parties and civil society as a blow to democratic tradition and electoral accountability.
Sixth Amendment (1983) Following the Black July riots of 1983 and escalating tensions with Tamil separatist movements, the government enacted the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution on 6 August 1983. This amendment required all Members of Parliament and public officials to take an oath renouncing support for a separate state. As a result, the Tamil United Liberation Front (TULF) MPs led by the Leader of the Opposition, A. Amirthalingam, who had campaigned for Tamil self-determination, refused to take the oath and forfeited their seats in Parliament. The amendment aimed to uphold the unitary status of Sri Lanka but was seen by many Tamils as repressive and undemocratic. Due to this incident, Sri Lanka Freedom Party led by Anura Bandaranaike became the official opposition. The Government decided not to hold By-elections for the vacated seats of TULF MPs, keeping them vacant until the Dissolution of Parliament in 1988.
Indo–Lanka Accord and the 13th Amendment (1987) Amid growing ethnic violence and international pressure, the government signed the Indo–Lanka Accord with India on 29 July 1987. As part of the agreement, the Sri Lankan government agreed to devolve power to the provinces and recognize Tamil as an official language, in exchange for the withdrawal of Indian support for Tamil militant groups.
This led to the enactment of the 13th Amendment to the Constitution and the Provincial Councils Act, which created a system of devolved provincial governments. The Northern and Eastern Provinces were temporarily merged into a single administrative unit. The 13th Amendment remains one of the most controversial and debated pieces of legislation in Sri Lankan constitutional history, hailed by some as a step toward ethnic reconciliation and devolution, and condemned by others as foreign-imposed and threatening to national unity.
Historical Events during Term The term of this Parliament was marked by profound political and economic transformations that reshaped the nation's trajectory. These developments, driven largely by the unprecedented parliamentary dominance of the United National Party (UNP), were both celebrated and criticized for their lasting impacts.
Creation of the Executive Presidency