A new 49-member Sri Lankan Cabinet was sworn in on Monday, heralding the second six-year term of President Mahinda Rajapaksa who retained the key portfolios of Defence and Finance.

Incumbent D M Jayaratne was re-appointed Prime Minister and Rajapaksa’s brother Basil, the main political strategist of his administration, also retained his post of Economic Development Minister.

Newly appointed ministers along with 31 other deputy ministers took the oath of office before President Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat.

Ministerial portfolios were offered to several MPs who pledged their support to the government during the crucial vote on 18th amendment to the Constitution which removed the term limits for the presidency.

The previous Cabinet under Rajapaksa had 41 ministers in it.

Sri Lanka Muslim Congress, the leading party representing the Muslim minority which supported the now jailed common opposition candidate Sarath Fonseka during the presidential election in January, also become a partner of the coalition government, accepting a Cabinet portfolio.

Its leader Rauf Hakeem has been appointed as the new Justice Minister.

Sri Lanka has introduced several senior ministerial portfolios similar to the Singaporean system and appointed nine veteran politicians for such positions.

Functions and operational procedures of the newly introduced senior ministers in the executive President-led Cabinet were not immediately clear.

Key portfolios such as Defence and Finance continue to remain under Rajapaksa.

However, the President’s son Namal, who entered Parliament in recent general election, has not been picked for any position.