The new administration has not recalled any vehicles officially assigned to former presidents under the country’s laws; however, additional vehicles beyond the legally assigned number have been reclaimed, the government announced.
In a statement, Director General of Government Information S.H.K.J. Bandara clarified that former Presidents Mahinda Rajapaksa and Ranil Wickremesinghe were informed through letters to return any vehicles exceeding their official allocations. He further stated that reports claiming the government had taken back three vehicles assigned to former President Mahinda Rajapaksa are inaccurate. According to Bandara, Rajapaksa returned 8 out of 16 vehicles in his possession, while Wickremesinghe currently has 11 vehicles.
As per Section 3(2) of the Presidential Remuneration Act No. 04 of 1986, former Sri Lankan presidents and their widows are entitled to benefits such as pensions, housing, office staff, security, and allowances for vehicles and fuel. Additionally, a letter issued by then-President’s Secretary Lalith Weerathunga stipulates that ministers and deputy ministers may be allocated a maximum of three official vehicles (cars, jeeps, or double cabs).
For 2023, Rs.37 million was allocated for benefits for former presidents, with Rs.22.6 million spent during the first half of the year. The budget increased to Rs.41.28 million for 2024. Former presidents Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, Gotabhaya Rajapaksa, and former president's widow Hema Premadasa receive monthly pensions ranging from Rs.65,000 to Rs.97,500, along with allowances for private secretaries and fuel. By September 2024, Rs.163.24 million had been spent on pensions since 2015.
Additional budgetary provisions cover other expenses such as water, electricity, and secretarial salaries, with Rs.126.02 million spent out of a Rs.153.14 million allocation from 2015 to mid-2023. These continued privileges for former presidents have raised concerns about inequality and the use of government funds.
This information was disclosed in response to a Right to Information (RTI) request submitted to the Presidential Secretariat.
