By: Isuru Parakrama
September 29, Colombo (LNW): Nearly 85 members of Sri Lanka’s previous Parliament, who entered the legislative body for the first time, are set to lose their entitlement to pensions following the early dissolution of Parliament.
These MPs, representing both the former ruling party and opposition, failed to complete the required five-year term to qualify for pensions, as Parliament was dissolved ahead of its scheduled end in August 2025.
Under the current law, enacted in the Pensions Act of 1977, an MP must serve a full five-year term to be eligible for a pension.
Those completing the term receive a monthly pension equivalent to one-third of their salary, while MPs who serve for ten years are entitled to a two-thirds pension.
The dissolution of Parliament has effectively ended the hopes of these first-time MPs of receiving a pension from the state.
The affected parliamentarians had only served part of their term in the ninth Parliament before it was abruptly brought to a close, cutting short their eligibility.
This marks a significant financial loss for these MPs, as pensions for parliamentarians are a key benefit associated with the role.
Additionally, the MPs lost several other privileges following the dissolution. These include access to free food, medical expenses for themselves and their families, luxurious accommodation, official visas, foreign trips, and the use of government vehicles—benefits typically provided under Parliamentary Acts and the current Constitution.
A former senior minister from the Kurunegala District highlighted these losses, underscoring how the dissolution, instigated by the new President, has dramatically reduced the privileges previously enjoyed by MPs.
The termination of these benefits is in accordance with existing Parliamentary regulations, which stipulate that such provisions are tied to active service in Parliament.
