The price of parliament- What does it look like?

මෙය බෙදා ගන්න

In 2022, the most recent year with detailed data, Sri Lanka spent LKR 3,248 million on operating its parliament—an average of LKR 32.2 million per sitting. This expenditure, divided across three key categories, covered everything from daily operations to allowances for Members of Parliament (MPs) and the Speaker’s Office. Here’s a breakdown:

Establishment Services – LKR 1,759 million (54%) Over half of the total budget went to Establishment Services, which include the essential day-to-day operations of parliament. This LKR 1,759 million covered staff salaries (personal emoluments) as well as costs for diets, uniforms, maintenance, and utilities that keep the institution running smoothly.

Members of Parliament – LKR 1,288 million (40%) Direct expenditures on MPs made up 40% of the total costs. Notably, the largest portion, LKR 333 million, was allocated for retirement benefits for former MPs. Costs on the incumbent MPs included fuel (LKR 329 million), rent and local taxes (LKR 276 million), salaries and wages (LKR 159 million), and postal and communication expenses (LKR 133 million). See Exhibit 1 below for details on the individual allowances allocated for each Member of Parliament.

The Speaker’s Office – LKR 201 million (6%) The Speaker’s Office accounted for 6% of parliament's total operating costs, with LKR 201 million dedicated to supporting the Speaker’s responsibilities and administrative needs.

Exhibit 1: Allowances of the Members of Parliament

Allowances	Amount to all Members of Parliament
Sitting Allowance	Rs. 2,500/= for attending each parliamentary meeting.
Committee Allowance	Rs. 2,500/= for attending each committee meeting when the committee is held on non-sitting days. (No allowance is paid for attending committee meetings which are held on sitting days).
Office Allowance	Rs. 100,000/= per month to maintain an office.
Member Allowance (Salary)	Rs. 54,285.00
Entertainment Allowance	Rs. 1,000/=
Drivers Allowance	Rs. 3,500/=
Drivers Allowance	(Drivers allowance is paid to the Hon. MP only if he isn’t provided a driver from the government)
Fuel Allowance	Fuel allowances are paid based on the distance from Parliament to the electoral district which each MP was elected and the approved market price of one litre of diesel on the first day of every month. (e.g.: Colombo 283.94 ltrs. Gampaha & Kaluthara 355.58 ltrs.)
Telephone Allowance	Rs. 50,000/= is paid monthly for land line and mobile. (No payment or reimbursement for telephone bills)
Transport Allowance for personal staff	Rs. 10,000/= is paid per month to meet traveling expenses for 4 personal staff to office. (Rs. 2,500/= each)
Free Postage Facilities	Stamps amounting to Rs. 350,000/= are issued to each MP annually. (Rs. 87,500/= quarterly)