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Ex-Presidents’ entitlements: Speaker to announce SC ruling on Tuesday
View(s):The Supreme Court determination on the Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill will be announced by Speaker Jagath Wickremaratne on Tuesday, with approval for the bill expected within this week’s parliamentary sitting days.
Several petitions were filed in the SC challenging the constitutionality of the bill, which seeks to do away with official residences and monthly allowances paid to former presidents or their widows.
It also seeks to do away with the monthly secretarial allowance and official transport and such other facilities provided to a former President or their widow.
Of the five former presidents, only Mahinda Rajapaksa occupies an official residence at Wijerama Mawatha, Colombo-07. The Government has attempted previously to have it vacated.
The other former presidents—Chandrika Kumaratunga, Maithripala Sirisena, Gotabaya Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe—reside in their private residences.
Hema Premadasa, the widow of the late President Ranasinghe Premadasa, also no longer occupies an official residence, though she receives a monthly pension under the existing Presidents’ Entitlements Act.
Once this Act is repealed, she will lose the pension even though the former presidents will continue to receive their pensions, as Article 36(1) of the Constitution provides for the payment of a salary, allowances and pension to holders of the office of President.
According to the Constitution, Parliament may by resolution increase, but shall not reduce, the salary, allowances or pension entitlement of the holders of the office of President.
Meanwhile, SLPP General Secretary Sagara Kariawasam said that President Mahinda Rajapaksa will abide by the law and will leave the official residence if the bill is passed by the House.
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