Colombo Mayor Vraîe Cally Balthazaar and several municipal councillors visited Zohara Buhary at her home today to enquire after her well-being. Buhary, a member of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC), was recently suspended from the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) after she voted in favour of the 2026 Budget, defying a direct order from her party leadership.

The budget, presented by the National People’s Power (NPP) administration, was passed earlier this week with a narrow majority of just two votes. While the SLMC had collectively decided to oppose the fiscal proposal, Buhary broke party ranks to support it. Following the visit, Buhary expressed her gratitude on social media, stating: “My thanks to the mayor and the councillors who visited my home today to look into my health and well-being.”

The disciplinary action against Buhary followed a directive from SLMC leader Rauff Hakeem. The party has described her decision as a grave violation of discipline and has demanded an explanation via affidavit within one week. However, Buhary maintained that she acted in the public interest, noting that she found no flaws in the budget proposal and chose to vote with courage rather than follow a political mandate.