The first batch of ministers of the coalition government led by president Maithripala Sirisena and prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe took their oaths on September 04.

Swearing in today were the cabinet ministers Faizer Mustafa (provincial councils and local government), Malik Samarawickrama (development strategy and international trade) and Vijith Vijayamuni Soyza (irrigation).

Several MPs of the UPFA accepted state and deputy ministerial portfolios.

However, one cabinet minister position and five state and deputy minister positions remain vacant.

As per the proposal submitted by the PM and approved by parliament, the government can have 48 cabinet ministers and 45 state and deputy ministers.

The president is also the minister of defence, environment and Mahaweli, and including him, there are 47 cabinet ministers.

He has said that the cabinet positions will be divided as 33 for the UNF and 15 for the SLFP, and all 33 UNF ministers have already taken their oaths.

The state and deputy ministerial positions will be divided as 27 for the UNF and 18 for the SLFP.