News
Debate over entitlements of former Presidents intensifies amidst NPP’s plans to cut their benefits
The government’s plan to curtail the entitlements of former presidents has sparked differing opinions, with Minister of Transport, Highways, Ports, and Aviation Bimal Ratnayake advocating for swift changes, while legal experts warn of constitutional and human rights implications.
Minister Ratnayake recently announced that the government would reduce the benefits granted to former presidents without requiring constitutional amendments. Referring to a Supreme Court’s ruling concerning the official residence of former President Maithripala Sirisena, he claimed that the verdict had made it clear that a sitting president did not have the authority to allocate official residences.
Stressing that former presidents should be provided with appropriate official residences, Ratnayake argued that luxurious mansions were unnecessary. He said former President Mahinda Rajapaksa would be asked to vacate his current residence at Wijerama as alternative accommodation could be provided to him.
The minister added that the government was planning to amend the current Constitution to make it better reflect modern societal needs, a key promise made during the NPP’s election campaign.
However, President’s Counsel Prathiba Mahanama has cautioned against any attempt to revoke pensions or other entitlements of former presidents. He has said that under clauses 01, 02, 03, and 04 of Article 36 of the 1978 Constitution, former Presidents are entitled to pensions, which cannot be retroactively revoked.
Mahanama has further warned that any law seeking to revoke such pensions will apply only to future Presidents and not the past ones. He has emphasised that revoking pensions retroactively could be considered a violation of fundamental human rights.
The Cabinet of Ministers has approved the proposal presented by the Minister of Transport, Highways, and Urban Development to award the contract for printing and supplying vehicle number plates for the Department of Motor Traffic for a period of five (5) years to M/s South Asian Technologies based on the recommendations of the High-Level Standing Procurement Committee and the Procurement Appeal Board.
The National Lotteries board has been established subject to the Finance Act No. 11 of 1963. Having identified the requirement of amending that act which was imposed around 62 years to cater the current requirements of the lottery market, the Cabinet of Mnisters at their meeting held on 14.02.2017 granted approval to draft a new bill for the purpose.
Accordingly, the National Lotteries Board has recognized further amendments to be performed to the fundamental draft bill prepared by the Legal Draftsmen.
Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval for the
resolution furnished by the President in his office as the Minister of Finance, Planning and Economic Development to direct the Legal Draftsmen to finalize the formulation of the draft bill for the National Lotteries Board as soon as possible including the proposed new amendments as well.
The Werahara office of the Department of Motor Traffic performs issuance of temporary driving licenses in this country based on the driving licenses issued overseas, and measures have been initiated to render the service from a service window of the Department of Motor Traffic established at the Bandaranayake International Airport from 03.08.2025.
The fees charged for issuing temporary driving licenses have been published in Motor Vehicles (Driving License Levy) Regulations No. 3 of 2022 prepared under the provisions of the Motor Traffic (Authority 203) Act.
But, as the fee of Rupees 2,000/- charged for the service is not sufficient, the requirement of amending the regulations has been recognized.
The regulations for introducing the revised fees have been published in the government extraordinary gazette
notification No. 2463/04 dated 17.11.2025. Therefore, the Cabinet of Ministers granted approval to the resolution furnished by the Minister of Transport, Highways and Urban Development to
submit the regulations to the Parliament for its concurrence.
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M/s South Asian Technologies awarded contract to supply vehicle number plates
A new act for National Lotteries Board to be introduced
Motor Vehicles (Driving License Levy) Regulations No. 3 of 2022 to be amended
Mrs. P. K. L. S. Panduwawala appointed to the post of Surveyor General
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