Despite being sentenced to 20 years of rigorous imprisonment, former Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage will reportedly continue to receive his parliamentary pension without interruption. This is because the current Parliamentary Pensions Act does not disqualify convicted members from receiving pension benefits—unless specifically ordered otherwise by a court.
In contrast, former Minister Nalin Fernando, who was convicted alongside Mahindananda, will not receive any pension. The reason? His term in Parliament was under five years, which falls short of the minimum requirement to qualify for pension benefits.
The discrepancy has sparked public debate, with critics questioning the fairness of a system that allows convicted politicians to retain financial privileges while serving prison time, while others are excluded purely due to tenure.
As calls for reform in parliamentary benefits grow louder, this latest episode is expected to intensify scrutiny on how Sri Lanka treats politicians found guilty of abusing public trust.
