Ranil-Maithri set to challenge scrapping Presidential privileges

Days after a bill seeking to scrap Presidential privileges was published this week, two former Presidents- Ranil Wickremesinghe and Maithirpala 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 alone. 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 are also in the process of analyzing the perks and privileges enjoyed by former Heads of States in other regional countries including India, Pakistan, Maldives, Bhutan and Nepal ahead of mounting the legal challenge.

In neighbouring India, former Heads of States including former Presidents and Prime Ministers are entitled for pension, residence, Special Protection Group (SPG) security along with other protocols.

Following a Cabinet decision to do away with the Presidential perks which cost millions of rupees to coffers, 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.