Business

New tax bill: Sri Lanka’s corporates wary about ‘subtle’ non-deductions

Published

4 years ago

2022/10/20

Sahan Weerasooriya

Say draconian powers drafted to be given to Inland Revenue Chief

Calls for independent body to get a fair hearing

By Sanath Nanayakkare

The new tax bill is one that demotivates taxpayers from being compliant and one that restricts existing taxpayers from their legitimate deductions, Nisreen Rehmanjee, head of corporate finance, group tax and social entrepreneurship project, John Keells Group said on Tuesday.

She said so at a webinar hosted by the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce (CCC) titled,” Implications of Amendments to the Inland Revenue Act.”

Predominantly taking a corporate view of the bill, she said,” Considering the financial situation of the country, I think that everyone has to pay more tax. That is a policy issue and I don’t have any problems with that. But we are concerned about proposed provisions on deductions, tax administration and taxpayer rights. The bill is attempting to collect taxes from those who are already paying and deny legitimate deductions that are incurred in the production of income. For example, in terms of new provisions, interest is considered to be a revenue expense and it is not a capital expense because it is basically what you pay for use of money for a year; and so it’s revenue. When it comes to capital assets it bears a condition that it has to be in use. I think that they have actually restricted this because interest is not a capital expense; it is not something you need to capitalize on because the new law recognises it as a revenue expense under section 12 and allows you a deduction. So I think it is a more restrictive deduction than an enabling provision.”

Further speaking she said,” There is a lot of significant uncertainty right now as to how exchange rate gains and losses are taxed. If one had losses why not allow those losses against gains and allow taxes to be paid on a net amount considering the very high rate of tax? The corporates are very concerned about such subtle non-deductions.”

“You should put your effort into actually broad-basing the tax net, but you are going after the people who are paying taxes. Shouldn’t that time and effort be actually spent on looking at people who are not paying taxes and who don’t have files?”

“Going to the Inland revenue Department and getting an estimate is a very judgmental call now. If you are saying that my profits this year are going to be lesser than last year, and therefore, I am estimating lower. If the assessor disputes that and the taxpayer has to go to the Tax Appeals Commission, it is an additional burden on a compliant taxpayer. We are getting crazy kind of assessments which are not defendable. IRD has a period of 30 months to make an assessment, but the tax payer is given only 14 days to analyse it, do the legal consulting and draft the appeal and submit it. That is very unfair. If the process is to be tightened then let’s reduce the time given to IRD to dispute the tax return to 18 months and make it more efficient. I think taxpayers need an independent body where they can go to and get a fair hearing before they go to the Tax Appeals Commission,” she said.

Sulaiman Nisthar, partner-tax, Ernst & Young said that agro farming, agro- processing and agro manufacturing would continue to enjoy tax concessions, but the definitions of these wordings need to be carefully evaluated.

Suresh Perera, principal of the tax and regulatory division of KPMG Sri Lanka said,” A particular provision of the bill gives draconian powers to the Commissioner General of IRD to come up with an estimate and there is no provision for it to be challenged. You have to pay taxes according to that estimate and if you don’t pay, then it is considered non-compliance. You don’t have a holdover relief position. In such a situation, you get only an extension period of six months to pay that amount. This is going to be a methodology for Commissioner General to collect taxes; just make any estimate that he wants which can’t be challenged. This is something that you need to act now and not later on because once this becomes law under article 88(3) of the Constitution, it will be too late to do anything about it.”

Duminda Hulangamuwa, senior partner and head of tax, Ernst Young & Sri Lanka said, “We made representations to the President, the Governor of the Central Bank and the Treasury Secretary on behalf of middle income individuals who are liable to pay high taxes when the new bill becomes law, but the message we got from them was they also didn’t like to increase taxes, but they were left with no other choice given the current economic realities and discussions with the IMF.”

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Business

Successful government securities auctions anchor yield curve amid subdued trading

Published

12 hours ago

2026/07/18

Thilina Walpola

The secondary market yield curve remained broadly stable during the past week as subdued trading activity persisted around the Treasury Bond auction. Meanwhile, weighted average yields at the weekly Treasury Bill auction recorded declines across all tenors, First Capital Research stated in its latest weekly report.

According to the report, secondary market activity opened on a cautious note with selling interest emerging ahead of the T-Bond auction, causing a slight upward adjustment in yields amid moderate trading volumes. As the week progressed, investor participation remained muted, with market participants largely staying on the sidelines in anticipation of the auction, keeping the yield curve broadly unchanged.

Following the successful completion of the bond auction, the market witnessed mixed sentiment, with selling pressure concentrated at the short end and buying interest emerging in longer-dated maturities. However, activity remained subdued, and the yield curve largely held its ground through the weekend.

At the Treasury Bond auction held on July 13, 2026, the Public Debt Management Office (PDMO) successfully raised the full offered amount of LKR 150.0 billion. This comprised LKR 70.0 billion through the 2030 maturity, LKR 50.0 billion through the 2034 maturity, and LKR 30.0 billion through the 2037 maturity, at weighted average yields of 11.57%, 12.04%, and 12.58%, respectively.

Similarly, at the weekly Treasury Bill auction held on July 15, 2026, the PDMO raised the full offered amount of LKR 120.0 billion. The 3-month, 6-month, and 12-month bills raised LKR 55.0 billion, LKR 35.0 billion, and LKR 30.0 billion, respectively. Weighted average yields declined across all tenors, with the 3-month bill easing by 8 basis points (bps) to 10.13%, the 6-month bill by 3 bps to 10.27%, and the 12-month bill by 1 bp to 10.20%.

On the external front, the Sri Lankan Rupee (LKR) depreciated against the US Dollar, closing the week at LKR 336.3/USD compared to LKR 334.7/USD seen previously. Market liquidity within the banking system expanded significantly, starting the week at LKR 125.89 billion and closing higher at LKR 157.19 billion.

Thus the market data may highlight a clear divergence between short-term liquidity comfort and long-term caution, which points toward a gradual steepening of the yield curve in the near term.

The emergence of buying interest in longer-dated maturities (2034 and 2037) shows that institutional investors are eager to lock in double-digit yields while liquidity is high. This institutional support will likely place a temporary ceiling on long-term rates.

The mild depreciation of the rupee (moving to LKR 336.3/USD) acts as a cautionary counter-signal. If the currency continues to face pressure, it could limit how far short-term yields can fall, flattening the curve back out.

Business

CSE sees lack of investor participation, market turnover remains thin

Published

13 hours ago

2026/07/18

Thilina Walpola

The Colombo Stock Exchange (CSE) witnessed a quiet trading session on Friday, with the benchmark All Share Price Index (ASPI) edging marginally lower down by 42.16 points or 0.20% to close at 21,405.41.

Market turnover remained thin, coming in at Rs. 0.72 billion (approximately US$ 2.2 million), reflecting a general lack of investor participation as most sectors encountered downward pressure.

A total of 31.94 million shares changed hands across 13,397 trades, resulting in a negative market breadth where declining counters outpaced gainers 127 to 91. Blue-chip counters Sampath Bank PLC (SAMP), Lanka IOC PLC (LIOC), and John Keells Holdings PLC (JKH) anchored the day’s market turnover, while a notable off-market crossing was recorded in Chevron Lubricants Lanka PLC (LLUB). Trading volume in SAMP alone was highly concentrated, accounting for 12% of the day’s total turnover.

Sector performance remained mixed, with the Banking sector emerging as the most actively traded, posting a modest gain of 0.18%. The Health Care Equipment & Services sector secured the spot as the day’s best performer, rising by 0.55%.

Conversely, the Household & Personal Products sector faced the steepest decline, dropping 1.95% to finish as the worst-performing sector of the day. In terms of individual movements, Blue Diamonds Jewellery Worldwide PLC [Voting] (PINS.N) led the gainers, advancing by 6.11%, while Agstar PLC (AGPL.N) emerged as the top loser, shedding 9.09%.

By Hiran H. Senewiratne

Business

Going Green in Kirindiwela: Ceylinco Life begins work on 36th company-owned building

Published

13 hours ago

2026/07/18

Thilina Walpola

Ceylinco Life directors at the laying of the foundation stone for the new branch

Ceylinco Life has commenced construction of its 36th company-owned branch building with the laying of the foundation stone for a new eco-friendly edifice in Kirindiwela, reaffirming the life insurance market leader’s continued investment in sustainable infrastructure and enhanced customer service.

The ceremony was attended by Ceylinco Life Chairman Mr R. Renganathan, Managing Director/CEO Mr Thushara Ranasinghe, members of the Board of Directors and senior management of Ceylinco Life, alongside valued customers and distinguished invitees from the Kirindiwela area.

Driven by its commitment to delivering superior service in a welcoming and customer-centric environment, Ceylinco Life has consistently invested in purpose-built branch buildings that serve as flagship locations. The Kirindiwela branch will join a network of 35 such company-owned buildings currently in operation across the country, each designed to offer elevated standards of service and modern facilities.

The new building will be constructed on company-owned land and developed in line with the Company’s green building concept, incorporating environmentally responsible design principles and energy-efficient technologies.

Spanning a floor area of 3,440 square feet, the Kirindiwela branch will utilise locally developed prefabricated construction technology from the National Engineering Research and Development Centre (NERD). The building is planned to operate on a 100 per cent self-sufficient solar electricity system, eliminating reliance on the national grid.

Key sustainability features of the proposed building include natural ventilation design, a topography-friendly layout, a green patch with grass grown in between interlocking blocks, energy-efficient air conditioning and lighting systems, and a rainwater harvesting facility. A dedicated Sewerage Treatment Plant (STP) will recycle wastewater for toilet flushing and gardening, while the company will practice the green concept of ‘Reuse’ in air-conditioning and electronic equipment, further minimising environmental impact.