Sri Lanka’s Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne faces damning allegations of misusing public property, maintaining two official residences, and drawing excessive fuel allowances. The New People’s Front demands answers, filing complaints with the Bribery Commission and CID. A scandal that could shake Parliament to its core.
Party Leader Sugeeshwara Bandara, Maharagama Municipal Councilor Colombo District Leader Dinesh Abeykoon, Kolonnawa Electoral Organizer Ajith Pushpakumara, Kolonnawa Electoral Batalandahena Division Organizer Amaraweera, and Kolonnawa Electoral activist Sunil Perera attended the press conference held at the New People’s Front party office.
Party Leader Sugeeshwara Bandara said that on July 4, 2025, the New People’s Front submitted a complaint to the Commission for the Investigation of Bribery and Corruption. Also, on July 03, 2025, the Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne’s misappropriation of state property and misuse of public resources were revealed to the country.
According to the letter issued under the signature of the Director of Legislative Services/Director of Communications (Acting) M. Jayalath Perera, providing answers to that inquiry, it further appears that the misappropriation of state property by Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne has been confirmed. Accordingly, we would like to ask the Secretary-General of Parliament 10 main questions:
- Is the 568-liter fuel allowance for MPs included in the Speaker’s salary?
- Are 900 liters of fuel provided monthly to the Speaker’s vehicles despite other allowances?
- Has a private staff been appointed at the Speaker’s residence without a Presidential Secretary’s circular?
- Does the Speaker’s Private Secretary dine with executives or privately with the Speaker?
- Under what approval was van NC 4923 assigned to the Speaker’s media unit, and what fuels it?
- Have meetings been held at the official residence despite claims it’s unused?
- Was the Constitutional Council meeting conducted at the official residence?
- Has the Speaker hosted formal meals at the official residence?
- Is it lawful to use two official residences while only paying for one?
- Did the Speaker influence the Parliamentary Secretariat to release its press statement?
the National People’s Power government: when they came to power, they stated that they did not want vehicles and did not want salaries. However, we have received clear information that they are unethically receiving 900 liters of fuel for two official vehicles and 568 liters of fuel allowances and salaries for Members of Parliament at the revised price every month.
According to the information we have received, the van allocated to the media wing is being used to provide food to the Speaker’s 1/8 house in the Loris Housing Complex. We expect a clear answer from the Secretary-General of Parliament or the Speaker.
Accordingly, the New People’s Front expects to file a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department tomorrow regarding these matters.
Also, the letter submitted by the Speaker states that eight people have been allocated for the staff and that fuel has been provided to the vehicles according to their official positions. We would like to know how many staff members are allocated to the Rajamalwatte official residence.
Also, the letter signed by the Acting Director-General of Communications on behalf of the Speaker states that the Speaker’s private secretary gets food from the place where parliamentary employees eat and that food is brought to the 1/8 house in the Loris Housing Complex from that place, and that it is deducted from their salary.
However, according to the information we have received, this is false information. He is provided with food from the MPs’ dining hall used by the Speaker and MPs.
The Speaker, who was first appointed by the Malima government, is still looking for his degree certificate. Also, we have made a major allegation against the newly appointed Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne. We hope that a formal investigation will be conducted by the Criminal Investigation Department.
It has also been stated that no diplomatic work is carried out in the Speaker’s official residence. It has been stated that all of this is done in the Speaker’s official room. However, according to the information we have received, a meeting of government officials from the Department of Justice and the Attorney General was held recently at the Speaker’s official residence under the chairmanship of the Speaker. A meeting was held at the Speaker’s official residence with the participation of the Leader of the Opposition and Members of Parliament. Therefore, we are waiting for a timely response from the Speaker’s side on this matter as well.
We have also received information that the Constitutional Council has also met in the official residence. Therefore, according to the information we have received in this regard, it appears that both the Speaker’s official residence and the 1/8 house in the Loris Housing Complex are being used.
However, can public officials use two official residences at the same time? The letter issued under the signature of the Acting Director-General of Communications states that the 1/8 house in the Loris Housing Complex is being used and a deduction is being made from the salary for that. However, the government is charging a very meager amount for the houses in the Loris Housing Complex in Bambalapitiya. It is not a fair amount. Just as President Anura Kumara Dissanayake valued the official residence of former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, we state that it is fair to value the 1/8 house in the Loris Housing Complex at its current value and charge the same amount.
All the information we have disclosed thus far are acts of corruption under the Anti-Corruption Act, 2023. Therefore, we hope that a clear investigation will be conducted on all these matters and the true information will be revealed to the country.
First, after we disclosed this information to the country, we announced that the Speaker’s media unit would reveal the answers to this to the country. However, instead of issuing an official statement from the Speaker’s side, a statement was issued under the signature of the Acting Director-General of Communications of Parliament.
When we, as the New People’s Front, compare the response received from the Speaker’s side to the complaint filed with the Bribery and Anti-Corruption Commission on July 04, it becomes clear to us that the Speaker has been caught in the crime of misappropriation and embezzlement of state property. New People’s Front Party Leader Sugeeshwara Bandara stated that it is unethical to sit in the Speaker’s chair until a formal investigation into these matters is conducted and the information is disclosed to the country.
