Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna expressed its displeasure at the tax hike on hybrid vehicles.

Its parliamentarian Sunil Handunnetti said that the government should have implemented a tax policy which would attract customers to hybrid vehicles.

Handunnetti added that the Finance Minister and several other ministers in the present government were of this view when the then government increased taxes on hybrid vehicles in 2012. He expressed surprise as to why the policies they championed then are not implemented now when they are in government.

The interim budget increased taxes on vehicles of over 1000CC engines by about 35 percent. Therefore hybrid vehicle prices increased by around Rs. 700,000.

Handunnetti also said at least those who have already entered agreements to buy vehicles should be given a concession in this matter.