Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa has denied that Members of Parliament received salary increases, attributing recent rises in their payments to changes in fuel allowance calculations based on market prices.
The government has rejected claims that Members of Parliament received salary increases, with Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa clarifying that recent payment adjustments relate exclusively to fuel allowance modifications. Speaking at the weekly Cabinet media briefing on August 11, Jayatissa emphasized that no MPs received salary increases of Rs. 50,000, Rs. 60,000, Rs. 100,000, or any other amount.
According to Jayatissa, the apparent increase in MP payments stems from how the government calculates fuel allowances provided to parliamentarians and government officials. MPs and officials receive a designated fuel allocation, with the corresponding allowance determined by prevailing fuel prices. The government previously used the fuel price from March 1, 2026, as the calculation basis rather than applying subsequent price increases that occurred between March and June.
A significant policy shift occurred on July 1, when the government transitioned to calculating the allowance based on the market fuel price prevailing on the first day of each month. This change means the fuel allowance will fluctuate in line with market conditions, potentially increasing when fuel prices rise and decreasing when they fall. Jayatissa stressed that the additional amounts currently appearing in MP payments reflect these higher fuel prices rather than any salary adjustment.
The minister's statement directly addresses public speculation about parliamentary compensation changes, emphasizing the distinction between salary adjustments and allowance recalculations tied to commodity price movements.
