News
Ranil, Sirisena team up to challenge perks-slashing bill
View(s):By Ranjith Padmasiri
Days after a bill seeking to scrap presidential privileges was published this week, two former presidents—Ranil Wickremesinghe and Maithripala Sirisena—met in Colombo to discuss the possibility of challenging the bill in the Supreme Court.
A bill was published on Thursday (July 31) by the Ministry of Justice and National Integration seeking to repeal the Presidents’ Entitlements Act, No. 4 of 1986, under which all former presidents are eligible for official residence, payment for secretarial allowance, and provisions for official transport and other facilities—all funded by taxpayers.
If the bill is enacted in its current form, all five former heads of state will lose all such perks and privileges except the monthly pension amounting to Rs 97,500. Payment of pension to the widow of the former Head of State will also be abolished as well.
The legal team representing the two former presidents is also analysing the perks and privileges enjoyed by former heads of state in other regional countries, including India, Pakistan, the Maldives, Bhutan and Nepal, ahead of mounting the legal challenge.
The two former presidents discussed data collected on privileges provided to former presidents in other countries. In neighbouring India, former heads of state, including former presidents and prime ministers, are entitled to a pension, residence, Special Protection Group (SPG) security, and other protocols.
The Sunday Times learns that a group of lawyers also attended the discussions between the two former presidents.
Following a Cabinet decision to do away with the presidential perks, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake appointed a three-member committee led by retired Supreme Court Justice K.T. Chitrasri to review the perks and privileges enjoyed by former heads of state and their widows.
The Chithrasiri Committee had recommended possible amendments to the presidents’ entitlements without a constitutional amendment.
During the election campaign rallies last year, the removing of perks for former presidents ’was one of the pledges by the NPP.
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