In the past few weeks, former minister of Fisheries - Rajitha Senaratne, former minister of Educational Services Duminda Dissanayake, former minister of technology and research - Patali Champika Ranawaka, former minister of State Management Reforms - Naveen Dissanayake, former minister of Justice - Rauff Hakeem and former minister of of Productivity Promotion - Bashir Segudawood resigned from their posts to crossover to the opposition.

Only the ministerial portfolio of Health, which was held by common candidate Maithripala Sirisena, was filled by former UNP General Secretary Tissa Attanayake, who crossed over to the government.

Meanwhile, the deputy ministerial portfolios of the following ministries still remain vacant : Ministry of Buddha Sasana and Religious Affairs (previously held by M.K.D.A.S. Gunewardena), the Ministry of Higher Education (previously held by Nandimithra Ekanayake), Minister of Investment Promotions (previously held by Faizer Mustapha), Ministry of National Languages and Social Integration (previously held by P. Digambaram) and Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology (previously held by T. Radhakrishnan)