Thalatha Atukorale
Sri Lankan politician (born 1963)
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Thalatha Atukorale (born 30 May 1963) is a Sri Lankan politician and attorney-at-law. She has served as the current General Secretary of the United National Party (UNP) since January 2025, becoming the first woman to hold the position.
Thalatha Atukorale | |
|---|---|
තලතා අතුකෝරල தலதா அத்துக்கோரல | |
Atukorale in 2024 | |
| General Secretary of the United National Party | |
| Assumed office 03 January 2025 | |
| Preceded by | Palitha Range Bandara |
| Chairwoman of the Samagi Vanitha Balawegaya | |
| In office 13 July 2020 – 22 August 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Rohini Kumari Wijerathna |
| Minister of Justice | |
| In office 25 August 2017 – 22 November 2019 | |
| President | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Preceded by | Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe |
| Succeeded by | Nimal Siripala de Silva |
| Minister of Prison Reforms | |
| In office 1 May 2018 – 22 November 2019 | |
| President | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Preceded by | D.M. Swaminathan |
| Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion & Welfare | |
| In office 12 January 2015 – 25 February 2018 | |
| President | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Prime Minister | Ranil Wickremesinghe |
| Preceded by | Dilan Perera |
| Succeeded by | Harin Fernando |
| Member of Parliament for Ratnapura District | |
| In office 22 April 2004 – 21 August 2024 | |
| Majority | 113,617 preferential votes |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 30 May 1963 |
| Party | United National Party (2004–2020, since 2024) |
Other political affiliations | Samagi Jana Balawegaya (2020–2024) |
| Profession | Attorney-at-Law |
Atukorale previously served as the Minister of Foreign Employment Promotion and Welfare from 2015 to 2018 under president Maithripala Sirisena, and as Minister of Justice from 2017 to 2019, the first woman to hold the portfolio in Sri Lanka.[1]
She also chaired the Samagi Vanitha Balawegaya, the women’s wing of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya, from May 2020 until her resignation in August 2024.
Political career
Atukorale entered active politics in 2004 following the death of her brother, Gamini Atukorale, a former cabinet minister and deputy leader of the United National Party. She was elected to parliament in 2004, 2010, 2015, and 2020 from the Ratnapura Electoral District.
She resigned from parliament on 21 August 2024, delivering a parliamentary address that included a strong critique of her party’s leader and presidential candidate, Sajith Premadasa.[2]
Electoral history
| Year | Constituency | Party | Alliance | Votes | Result | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Ratnapura District | UNP | UNF | 113,617 | Elected | ||
| 2010 | Ratnapura District | UNP | UNF | 64,592 | Elected | ||
| 2015 | Ratnapura District | UNP | UNFGG | 145,828 | Elected | ||
| 2020 | Ratnapura District | SJB | SJB | 45,105 | Elected | ||
