Parliament yesterday passed a new law to abolish certain entitlements of former presidents, several privileges, including official residences.
The legislation, titled the Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Bill, received 151 votes in favour and one vote against. Badulla District MP Chamara Sampath voted against it at the end of the second reading of the bill.
There were no abstentions, the Speaker announced, while many Opposition MPs were not present in the Chamber at the time the vote was taken.
At the end of its second reading the Bill was put to vote after Leader of the House Minister Bimal Ratnayake called for a division.
Third reading of the Bill was passed without a vote. It was passed without amendments.
The legislation repeals the 1986 Act under which ex-presidents and their widows received state-funded housing, transport, staff and secretarial allowances. The Supreme Court ruled that the bill does not conflict with the Constitution, dismissing petitions which argued that it curtailed vested rights and required both a two-thirds majority in Parliament and a referendum.