Colombo, Oct 10 (PTI) Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Friday effected the first reshuffle of his Cabinet.

The reshuffle brings the total number of cabinet members, including Dissanayake, to 23, under the constitutional cap of 25 members.

This is the first reshuffle since he formed his National People's Power (NPP) government a year ago.

A fresh face, Susil Ranasinghe, was made the Minister of Housing.

The portfolios of three ministers were reshuffled, with the most significant change involving Minister of Transport Bimal Rathnayaka, whose Ports and Civil Aviation subjects were assigned to Anura Karunatilaka.

In turn, Karunatilaka’s Urban Development subject has been given to Rathnayaka, who is also the leader of the House of Parliament.

Rathnayaka’s handling of the Ports subject came under controversy when the opposition lodged a complaint with the anti-graft commission over the alleged irregular release of around 323 containers of cargo from the Colombo port in January this year without necessary customs scrutiny.

Both President Dissanayake and Rathnayaka have denied the accusations of wrongdoing.

Dissanayake has also added five new faces from his large parliamentary group of 159 members to the list of deputy ministers. PTI CORR GRS GRS GRS

Cabinet reshuffle reallocates ministerial portfolios and adds deputy ministers while adhering to the constitutional cap on membership. The President implemented a Cabinet reshuffle that reallocates ministerial portfolios and adds deputy ministers while keeping total cabinet membership below the constitutional cap. Ports and Civil Aviation were reassigned from the Transport Minister to another minister, and Urban Development moved to the Transport Minister, who is also Leader of the House. The reshuffle follows controversy and an anti-graft complaint about port cargo handling, which the President and the implicated minister have denied.