Former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has vacated his state-provided official residence on Wijerama Road in Colombo. 

He and his wife, Shiranthi Rajapaksa, left the residence at 1:15 p.m. today (11), as a large crowd had gathered to see them off.

The move comes in response to the newly enacted ‘Presidents’ Entitlements (Repeal) Act’, which was passed in Parliament yesterday (10). 

This new law abolishes the entitlement of official residences, along with other state-funded facilities, for all former presidents and their widows.

According to a spokesperson, Rajapaksa will now move to his private residence, Carlton House in Hambantota. 

The Ministry of Public Administration has stated that the law will also apply to other former presidents, including Maithripala Sirisena and Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga, who will be required to return their official residences as well