The Senate was the upper chamber of the parliament of Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) established in 1947 by the Soulbury Commission.

It was housed in the old Legislative Council building in Colombo Fort and met for the first time on 12 November 1947.

[1] With the recommendations of the Soulbury Commission, the Senate was established in 1947 as the upper house of Parliament of Ceylon.

One of its fundamental aims was to act as a revising chamber by scrutinizing or amending bills that had been passed by the House of Representatives.

[2] The leftist parties of Ceylon and other republicans considered the Senate, with half its members being appointed by the British monarch's representative – the Governor General – to be one of the last vestiges of colonial rule.

A unicameral parliamentary system was introduced with the adaptation of the Republican Constitution of Sri Lanka in 1972.

The Senate was intended to act as a revising chamber, scrutinizing and amending bills which had been passed by the House of Representatives.

[4] The remaining 15 members were appointed by the Governor-General of Ceylon on advice of the Prime Minister and generally consisted of distinguished individuals.