Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) Colombo Municipal Council member Zohara Buhary has said that, as a woman, she had the courage to stand firm and defeat the opposition by voting in favour of the budget.

Speaking about her decision to vote in support of the second reading of the Colombo Municipal Council budget on 31 December 2025, Buhari said she backed the budget unconditionally as it contained no flaws.

She maintained that she was not subjected to any pressure to cast her vote in favour of the budget and that her decision was guided solely by the interests of the public.

Buhary further stated that although the opposition was aware that there were no issues in the budget presented by the National People’s Power (NPP), it opposed the proposal for other reasons.

Meanwhile, the Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) has decided to suspend Sohara Buhari’s party membership with immediate effect. The party described her conduct as a “serious violation of party discipline”.

However, the SLMC has directed Buhary to submit an affidavit within a week explaining her position. The party has also warned that further disciplinary action could be taken without prior notice if she fails to comply with the directive.