Colombo, July 31 (Daily Mirror) – The Sri Lankan government has published a draft bill to amend the Presidents’ Entitlements Act No. 4 of 1986, aiming to curtail the special privileges granted to former Presidents, their families, and retired Members of Parliament (MPs).
This follows a Cabinet decision last week approving the proposal to gazette the bill and submit it to Parliament. The move is part of a broader push to reform how political officeholders are compensated post-retirement.
Back in June 2025, the Cabinet had also greenlit plans to repeal both the Presidents’ Entitlements Act and the Parliamentary Pensions Law No. 1 of 1977. If passed, the new legislation would terminate generous post-office benefits, including lifetime pensions for MPs who serve just one five-year term—a long-standing issue in Sri Lankan politics.
The reform package was proposed by the Minister of Justice and National Integration, who instructed the Legal Draftsman to begin drafting the necessary legislation.
These changes are widely seen as a response to growing public dissatisfaction with political privilege and entitlement, particularly at a time when ordinary citizens are grappling with economic challenges. The bill’s progression through Parliament will be closely watched by both civil society and governance watchdogs.