Mayor of Colombo

Mayor of Colombo
Mayor of Colombo
	Incumbent; Vraîe Cally Balthazaar; since 16 June 2025
	Colombo Municipal Council
Style	His/ Her Worship
Residence	Sirinivasa
Seat	Town Hall, Colombo
Constituting instrument	Municipal Council Ordinance No. 17 of 1865
Formation	1866; 159 years ago
First holder	Charles Peter Layard
Deputy	Deputy Mayor of Colombo

The Mayor of Colombo is the elected head of the Colombo Municipal Council. The post was created in 1866 when the Colombo Municipal Council was established by the Legislative Council of Ceylon. The mayor is assisted by the deputy mayor and a Municipal Commissioner.The current mayor is Vraîe Cally Balthazaar, who took office on 16 June 2025.

Election

The mayor is elected in a general election held under the Local Authority Election Ordinance from the party gaining the highest number of seats in the municipal council. Once elected the mayor may hold office for four years.^[3]

Powers and functions

Most powers are derived from the Municipal Council Ordinance No. 29 of 1947. The Mayor serves as the chief executive of the municipal council.^[3]

The municipal council is responsible for:

Social service
Health and environmental issues
Emergency services (not policing, which is the responsibility of the central government)
Urban planning
Sanitation (waste, sewage)

Rights and privileges

The mayoral office is located at the Colombo Town Hall and the official mayoral residence is Sirinivasa. The mayor's legal title is His/Her Worship the Mayor of Colombo.

Under the provisions of the Municipal Councils Ordinance the mayor and deputy mayor are ex-official Justice of the Peace and Unofficial Magistrates for the administrative district in which the municipality is situated for the duration of their tenure. This is provided so that the mayor or deputy mayor may preside over the municipal magistrate's court.^[3]

Official dress

On formal occasions the Mayor wears a scarlet gown with the Mayoral Chain of Office.

Salary

The Mayor of Colombo's salary is Rs 30,000 per month, which is same of all mayors of municipalities in Sri Lanka.^[4]

List of mayors

Parties

United National Party Lanka Sama Samaja Party National People's Power Independent

**Chairmen**
Name	Took office	Left office	Refs
Charles Peter Layard	January 1866	June 1877	^[5]
Frederick Richard Saunders	July 1877	December 1883
William Dumaresq Wright	January 1884	6 August 1886
G. S. Williams	August 1886	August 1887
George Thomas Michael O'Brien	September 1887	September 1887
Lionel Frederick Lee	October 1887	November 1887
Hardinge Hay Cameron	November 1887	September 1893
Charles Edward Ducat Pennycuick	October 1893	April 1895
Ferdinando Hamblyn Price	May 1895	March 1901
Arthur Sampson Pagden	April 1901	February 1905
E. M. de C. Short	March 1905	May 1910
K. W. B. McLeod	May 1910	April 1912
C. R. Cumberland	May 1912	November 1912
W. E. Thorpe	December 1912	January 1913
E. B. Alexander	February 1913	October 1913
R. W. Byrde	November 1913	September 1919
T. Reid	October 1919	July 1924
Hubert Ernest Newnham	August 1924	July 1931
Walter Terence Stace	July 1931	March 1932
William Lindsay Murphy	March 1932	March 1935
William Lindsay Murphy	November 1935	May 1937

**Mayors**
	Party	Took office	Left office	Refs
Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu		May 1937	December 1937	^[6]^[7]^[8]
V. R. S. Schokman		January 1938	December 1939	^[9]^[10]
A. E. Goonesinghe		January 1940	December 1940	^[11]
Ratnasothy Saravanamuttu		January 1941	December 1942
George R. de Silva		January 1943	December 1943
R. A. de Mel		January 1944	December 1944
R. S. F. de Mel		January 1945	December 1945
R. A. de Mel		January 1946	December 1946
R. S. F. de Mel		January 1947	December 1949
Kumaran Ratnam		January 1950	December 1950
S. Sellamuttu		January 1951	December 1951	^[12]^[13]^[14]
C. T. Grero		January 1952	11 August 1953	^[15]
T. Rudra		21 September 1953	13 August 1954	^[16]^[17]
N. M. Perera	Lanka Sama Samaja Party	13 August 1954	28 February 1956	^[18]^[19]^[20]
V. A. Sugathadasa	United National Party	6 March 1956	1 December 1957	^[21]^[22]^[23]
M. H. Mohamed	United National Party	12 January 1960	10 January 1963
V. A. Sugathadasa	United National Party	10 January 1963	10 April 1965
Vincent Perera	United National Party	10 April 1965	1966	^[24]^[25]
Jabir A. Cader	United National Party	1966	1969	^[26]
Vincent Perera	United National Party	1970	1973
A. H. M. Fowzie	United National Party	1974	1977	^[27]^[28]^[29]
B. Sirisena Cooray	United National Party	1979	1989	^[30]^[31]^[32]
M. Hussain Mohamad	United National Party	1989	1991	^[33]^[34]
Ratnasiri Rajapakse	United National Party	1991	1994	^[35]^[36]^[37]
K. Ganeshalingam	United National Party	June 1996	March 1997	^[38]^[39]^[40]
Karu Jayasuriya	United National Party	1997	1999	^[41]^[42]^[43]
Omar Kamil	United National Party	1999	2002	^[44]^[45]^[46]
Prasanna Gunawardena	United National Party	3 June 2002	2006	^[47]^[48]
Uvais Mohamed Imitiyas	Independent UNP-backed	2 June 2006	2010	^[49]^[50]^[51]
A. J. M. Muzammil	United National Party	17 October 2011	31 March 2016	^[52]^[53]
Rosy Senanayake	United National Party	6 March 2018	19 March 2023	^[54]^[55]
Vraîe Cally Balthazaar	National People's Power	16 June 2025		^[1]

References

^ ^a ^b "Vraie Cally Balthazaar elected Colombo Mayor - Breaking News | Daily Mirror". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
^ "NPP's Vraie Cally Balthazaar elected new Colombo Mayor". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 2025-06-16.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Municipal Council Ordinance" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-01-27. Retrieved 2018-02-13.
^ "Hiru News Official Web Site - Most visited website in Sri Lanka". Hiru News. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
^ "Charles Peter Layard". Genealogy.links.org. Archived from the original on 4 December 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
^ Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). pp. 181–182. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
^ "He gave of his best, but died a disillusioned man". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 28 May 2000. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ Maniccavasagar, Chelvatamby (24 February 2012). "Colombo Municipal Council's 147th anniversary". Daily News (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 28 December 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ "Our New President" (PDF). Journal of the Dutch Burgher Union of Ceylon. XXXV (4): 97. April 1946.
^ "Mayoral Election in Colombo". The Straits Times. 13 February 1939. p. 16. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ Jayasekera, Upali S. (1 May 2013). "Father of the Labour Movement". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). p. 187. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
^ Maniccavasagar, Chelvatamby (5 September 2013). "Paying homage to Lord Ganesha". Daily News (Sri Lanka).
^ Jayanetti, Lalith (4 October 2003). "Ceylon Theatres marks 75 years". The Island (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ Salgado, Upali K. (19 October 2011). ""Once Upon A Time" – Colombo And Nostalgic Memories". The Island (Sri Lanka).
^ Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). p. 166. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
^ "Rajapakse navigates a consensus, UNP girds to fight for CMC". The Island (Sri Lanka). 7 May 2006.
^ Abeynayake, Stanley E. (30 April 2006). "Dr. N. M. Perera: The first Leftist Mayor of Colombo". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka).
^ Wijenayake, Walter (13 August 2009). "Dr. N. M. Perera: a politician ahead of his times". The Island (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ Perera, Ravi (30 June 2015). "NM at 110". Daily FT.
^ Ganegoda, Ariyaratne (10 July 2012). "V.A.Sugathadasa Commemoration". Ceylon Today. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ Perera, Yohan (17 October 2011). "Mayor could do many things: Ranil". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka).
^ Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (15 June 2008). "Last TULF Leader standing: Sangaree at 75". The Nation (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 20 February 2014.
^ "The man behind the specs". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 28 May 2006. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ Ranatunga, D. C. (7 May 2011). "Engineer's 'digs' in UK for a Colombo street name". Daily FT.
^ Weerakoon, Gamini (11 January 2009). "Lasantha: A classic case of publish and be damned". The Sunday Leader. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ "The name game". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 14 March 1999.
^ Wedaarachchi, L. S. Ananda (18 September 2011). "Six former Mayors back Milinda Moragoda". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka).
^ "The new Mayor of Colombo". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 12 July 2006.
^ Ferdinando, Shamindra (2 February 2006). "Mini battle for Key to Colombo city". The Island (Sri Lanka).
^ Fernando, Basil (25 July 2012). "On the 23rd of Black July, one man destroyed his nation". Sri Lanka Guardian.
^ "Sirisena Cooray is back in the UNP Central Committee". Asian Tribune. 22 September 2005.
^ Rasooldeen, M. D. (18 March 2014). "Sri Lanka nominates new ambassador to KSA". Arab News.
^ "Free spectacles were distributed at the Sri Lanka Islamic Centre, Maligawatte to mark the former Speaker and Minister M.H. Mohamed's 93rd birthday..." Daily FT. 21 June 2014.
^ "Ex-Colombo Mayor passes away". The Island (Sri Lanka). 15 September 2003.
^ "News in brief". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 13 September 2003. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ "'Siri Aiya' who revived the JVP". Daily FT. 18 April 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ "Bullets after bullets hit UNP". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 16 February 1997. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ Satyapalan, Franklin R. (3 September 2011). "Mrs. Yamuna Ganeshalingam contests CMC on UPFA ticket". The Island (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ Maniccavasgar, Chelvathamy (3 January 2012). "K Ganeshalingam's 74th birth anniversary: Multi-faceted and multi-dimensional personality". Daily News (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 3 July 2013.
^ Peiris, Roshan (30 March 1997). "Going for the old world charm". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
^ "Why Karu Jayasuriya Should Lead the UNP". The Island (Sri Lanka). 16 January 2006.
^ "Karu Jayasuriya's journey to 'political hell'". Ceylon Today. 22 June 2014. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ "Colombo taxi drivers rebel over uniforms". BBC News. 13 August 2000.
^ "Omar Kamil elected MICH president". The Island (Sri Lanka). 3 September 2008.
^ "Colombo Mayor thanks citizens". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 8 December 2001. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ "The Island". The Island (Sri Lanka). 4 June 2002. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ "UNP Colombo Central Operational Headquarters inaugurated". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 5 November 2005.
^ "New Colombo Mayor sworn in". BBC Sinhala. 2 June 2006.
^ Gunaratna, Harischandra (3 June 2006). "Cooray swears in new Mayor". The Island (Sri Lanka).
^ "Put your hands together… His Worship, The Mayor". The Nation (Sri Lanka). 4 June 2006. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ "Muzammil as Mayor of the CMC". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 17 October 2011.
^ "Dressing up His Worship!". Daily FT. 18 October 2011. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
^ "Rosy to be new mayor". The Sunday Leader. 21 August 2016. Archived from the original on 11 November 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.
^ "Rosy becomes first female Mayor of Colombo – LankaPuvath". 20 March 2018. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2018.

Sources

Hulugalle, H. A. J. (September 1965). Centenary Volume of the Colombo Municipal Council (1865 – 1965) (PDF). Colombo Municipal Council. pp. 53–54. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2024-08-01. Retrieved 2015-08-31.
"Past Mayors of Colombo". Colombo Municipal Council. Archived from the original on 2014-08-20.
Wagista, Kumaradasa (1 February 1998). "Century of caring for Colombo". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).
Maniccavasagar, Chelvatamby (24 February 2012). "Colombo Municipal Council's 147th anniversary: Largest Local Authority in SL". Daily News (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 28 December 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2015.
Warnakulasuriya, Deepal (27 May 2007). "Colombo Mayor in a quagmire!". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka).
Amaranayake, Vindya; Wamanan, Arthur (26 September 2010). "In defence of the CMC…". The Nation (Sri Lanka).

External links

Colombo Municipal Council

[DM2025-1] "Vraie Cally Balthazaar elected Colombo Mayor - Breaking News | Daily Mirror". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 2025-06-16.

[2] "NPP's Vraie Cally Balthazaar elected new Colombo Mayor". www.adaderana.lk. Retrieved 2025-06-16.

[ord-3] "Municipal Council Ordinance" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-01-27. Retrieved 2018-02-13.

[4] "Hiru News Official Web Site - Most visited website in Sri Lanka". Hiru News. Archived from the original on 2023-06-16. Retrieved 2023-06-16.

[5] "Charles Peter Layard". Genealogy.links.org. Archived from the original on 4 December 2013. Retrieved 28 November 2013.

[6] Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). pp. 181–182. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 2015-08-31.

[7] "He gave of his best, but died a disillusioned man". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 28 May 2000. Archived from the original on 6 August 2019. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[8] Maniccavasagar, Chelvatamby (24 February 2012). "Colombo Municipal Council's 147th anniversary". Daily News (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 28 December 2014. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[9] "Our New President" (PDF). Journal of the Dutch Burgher Union of Ceylon. XXXV (4): 97. April 1946.

[10] "Mayoral Election in Colombo". The Straits Times. 13 February 1939. p. 16. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[11] Jayasekera, Upali S. (1 May 2013). "Father of the Labour Movement". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[12] Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). p. 187. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 2015-08-31.

[13] Maniccavasagar, Chelvatamby (5 September 2013). "Paying homage to Lord Ganesha". Daily News (Sri Lanka).

[14] Jayanetti, Lalith (4 October 2003). "Ceylon Theatres marks 75 years". The Island (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 16 July 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[15] Salgado, Upali K. (19 October 2011). ""Once Upon A Time" – Colombo And Nostalgic Memories". The Island (Sri Lanka).

[16] Arumugam, S. (1997). Dictionary of Biography of the Tamils of Ceylon (PDF). p. 166. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2022-10-09. Retrieved 2015-08-31.

[17] "Rajapakse navigates a consensus, UNP girds to fight for CMC". The Island (Sri Lanka). 7 May 2006.

[18] Abeynayake, Stanley E. (30 April 2006). "Dr. N. M. Perera: The first Leftist Mayor of Colombo". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka).

[19] Wijenayake, Walter (13 August 2009). "Dr. N. M. Perera: a politician ahead of his times". The Island (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 30 June 2018. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[20] Perera, Ravi (30 June 2015). "NM at 110". Daily FT.

[21] Ganegoda, Ariyaratne (10 July 2012). "V.A.Sugathadasa Commemoration". Ceylon Today. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[22] Perera, Yohan (17 October 2011). "Mayor could do many things: Ranil". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka).

[23] Jeyaraj, D. B. S. (15 June 2008). "Last TULF Leader standing: Sangaree at 75". The Nation (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 20 February 2014.

[24] "The man behind the specs". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 28 May 2006. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[25] Ranatunga, D. C. (7 May 2011). "Engineer's 'digs' in UK for a Colombo street name". Daily FT.

[26] Weerakoon, Gamini (11 January 2009). "Lasantha: A classic case of publish and be damned". The Sunday Leader. Archived from the original on 11 June 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[27] "The name game". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 14 March 1999.

[28] Wedaarachchi, L. S. Ananda (18 September 2011). "Six former Mayors back Milinda Moragoda". Sunday Observer (Sri Lanka).

[29] "The new Mayor of Colombo". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 12 July 2006.

[30] Ferdinando, Shamindra (2 February 2006). "Mini battle for Key to Colombo city". The Island (Sri Lanka).

[31] Fernando, Basil (25 July 2012). "On the 23rd of Black July, one man destroyed his nation". Sri Lanka Guardian.

[32] "Sirisena Cooray is back in the UNP Central Committee". Asian Tribune. 22 September 2005.

[33] Rasooldeen, M. D. (18 March 2014). "Sri Lanka nominates new ambassador to KSA". Arab News.

[34] "Free spectacles were distributed at the Sri Lanka Islamic Centre, Maligawatte to mark the former Speaker and Minister M.H. Mohamed's 93rd birthday..." Daily FT. 21 June 2014.

[35] "Ex-Colombo Mayor passes away". The Island (Sri Lanka). 15 September 2003.

[36] "News in brief". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 13 September 2003. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[37] "'Siri Aiya' who revived the JVP". Daily FT. 18 April 2015. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[38] "Bullets after bullets hit UNP". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka). 16 February 1997. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[39] Satyapalan, Franklin R. (3 September 2011). "Mrs. Yamuna Ganeshalingam contests CMC on UPFA ticket". The Island (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[40] Maniccavasgar, Chelvathamy (3 January 2012). "K Ganeshalingam's 74th birth anniversary: Multi-faceted and multi-dimensional personality". Daily News (Sri Lanka). Archived from the original on 3 July 2013.

[41] Peiris, Roshan (30 March 1997). "Going for the old world charm". The Sunday Times (Sri Lanka).

[42] "Why Karu Jayasuriya Should Lead the UNP". The Island (Sri Lanka). 16 January 2006.

[43] "Karu Jayasuriya's journey to 'political hell'". Ceylon Today. 22 June 2014. Archived from the original on 23 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[44] "Colombo taxi drivers rebel over uniforms". BBC News. 13 August 2000.

[45] "Omar Kamil elected MICH president". The Island (Sri Lanka). 3 September 2008.

[46] "Colombo Mayor thanks citizens". Daily News (Sri Lanka). 8 December 2001. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[47] "The Island". The Island (Sri Lanka). 4 June 2002. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[48] "UNP Colombo Central Operational Headquarters inaugurated". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 5 November 2005.

[49] "New Colombo Mayor sworn in". BBC Sinhala. 2 June 2006.

[50] Gunaratna, Harischandra (3 June 2006). "Cooray swears in new Mayor". The Island (Sri Lanka).

[51] "Put your hands together… His Worship, The Mayor". The Nation (Sri Lanka). 4 June 2006. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[52] "Muzammil as Mayor of the CMC". The Daily Mirror (Sri Lanka). 17 October 2011.

[53] "Dressing up His Worship!". Daily FT. 18 October 2011. Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 31 August 2015.

[thesundayleader.lk-54] "Rosy to be new mayor". The Sunday Leader. 21 August 2016. Archived from the original on 11 November 2018. Retrieved 21 February 2018.

[55] "Rosy becomes first female Mayor of Colombo – LankaPuvath". 20 March 2018. Archived from the original on 8 May 2024. Retrieved 20 March 2018.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]

[8]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[12]

[13]

[14]

[15]

[16]

[17]

[18]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[22]

[23]

[24]

[25]

[26]

[27]

[28]

[29]

[30]

[31]

[32]

[33]

[34]

[35]

[36]

[37]

[38]

[39]

[40]

[41]

[42]

[43]

[44]

[45]

[46]

[47]

[48]

[49]

[50]

[51]

[52]

[53]

[54]

[55]

Info Pages

Talk Pages

Special Pages

Mayor of Colombo

Recent from talks

Recent from talks

Contribute something

Contribute something

Media Pages

Timelines

Articles

Notes collections

Notes

Notes

Days in Chronicle

Mayor of Colombo

Election

Powers and functions

Rights and privileges

Official dress

Salary

List of mayors

References

Sources

External links

Add your contribution

Related Hubs

Contribute something

History

Mayor of Colombo

Recent from talks

Recent from talks

Contribute something

Contribute something

Media Pages

Timelines

Articles

Notes collections

Notes

Notes

Days in Chronicle

Mayor of Colombo

Election

Powers and functions

Rights and privileges

Official dress

Salary

List of mayors

References

Sources

External links

Add your contribution

Related Hubs

Contribute something