The joint opposition of the Horana Urban Council condemned the approval of the council’s revised 2026 budget, accusing the ruling party of pushing it through without due process in a “disgraceful and fraudulent” act.
Independent councillor Granville Rajapaksa, speaking at a press conference on December 24, said the manner in which the budget was approved marked an unprecedented low in the council’s history.
Rajapaksa, a veteran local representative with three decades of experience, said he had never witnessed such an incident in the council’s 80-year existence.
The revised budget was approved on December 23 under the leadership of Chairman Anil Indika Premasiri of the National People’s Power (NPP), with opposition members alleging they were deliberately excluded from the session.
Rajapaksa said the initial budget debate held on December 5 lasted about four hours and included opposition amendments, but the revised session was concluded within minutes.
Opposition members alleged the sitting began earlier than scheduled to ensure passage before they arrived.
United National Party (UNP) councilor Rajiva Gunasekera claimed the council clock was advanced by five minutes, allowing the session to begin at 9:55 a.m., ahead of the scheduled 10 a.m. start time.
They also accused the chairman of bypassing long-standing council protocols, stating the session omitted customary religious observances and commemorations and was completed in as little as three to five minutes.
UNP councillor Saranga Senanayake alleged that security cameras and fingerprint attendance systems were deactivated and that media personnel were barred from entering the premises on the chairman’s orders.
Beyond procedural concerns, the joint opposition questioned the substance of the revised budget, claiming it was inflated by nearly Rs. 50 million in projected but uncertain revenue.
They also alleged that funds earmarked for welfare had been diverted to infrastructure projects that do not generate income.
Seven opposition councillors have formally requested a full report from the council secretary under the Right to Information Act, including attendance records and any available audio or video recordings of the session.
They have also called on the Kalutara Local Government Commissioner to launch an immediate investigation.
Opposition members alleged the chairman bypassed standard procedures to avoid a second budget defeat, which under local government regulations would have resulted in the loss of his administrative powers.
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