• President: Chandrika Kumaratunga
• Prime Minister: Sirimavo Bandaranaike
• Chief Justice: G. P. S. de Silva

Governors edit

• Central Province – E. L. Senanayake
• North Central Province – Maithripala Senanayake
• North Eastern Province – Gamini Fonseka
• North Western Province – Hector Arawwawala
• Sabaragamuwa Province – C. N. Saliya Mathew
• Southern Province – Neville Kanakeratne
• Uva Province – Ananda Dassanayake
• Western Province – K. Vignarajah

Chief Ministers edit

• Central Province – W. M. P. B. Dissanayake
• North Central Province – G. D. Mahindasoma (until 2 May); Jayasena Dissanayake (starting 2 May)
• North Western Province – Nimal Bandara
• Sabaragamuwa Province – Jayatilake Podinilame
• Southern Province – Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena
• Uva Province – Percy Samaraweera
• Western Province – Susil Premajayanth

• Sri Lankan Civil War
  • Eelam War III
• 17 March – Sri Lanka wins the 1996 Cricket World Cup, beating Australia by 7 wickets, making this Sri Lanka's first ever World Cup victory.^[1]
• 18–25 July – The LTTE initiates Operation Unceasing Waves, following a series of losses in the Jaffna peninsula. The LTTE launches an attack on Mullaitivu. The Sri Lankan Army is defeated with 1,242 army soldiers dead, and hundreds captured and executed.^[2] It has also been reported that others were found dead with their corpses clutching onto white flags.^[3]
• 24 July – A train is bombed in Dehiwala, killing 42 and wounding 400. The LTTE was claimed responsible for the attack, placing suitcase bombs in four carriages on a commuter train.^[4]