• Claims that several former parliamentary, PS, and PC members’ pay was collected by the party
• Demands their pay should be returned by the party

A group of former Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) politicians are preparing to form a movement to demand the return of their salaries and allowances as Pradeshiya Sabha (PS), Provincial Council (PC), and Parliamentary representatives, which they claim were taken by their Party.

Speaking to The Daily Morning, Retired MPs’ Collective’s Secretary and former JVP MP Pemasiri Manage said that he has formally requested Parliament to provide details of all salaries and allowances paid to him between 2004 and 2010, during which time he served as an MP.

“All of that money was taken by the JVP. I have now asked for complete information from the Parliament under the Right to Information Act No. 12 of 2016 because I never received any of it,” he said.

He added that he also intends to seek details of the salaries and allowances he received as a member of a PS and later as a PC member, which he alleged were also taken by the JVP. “There are several other former politicians who were with the JVP at that time, and they are ready to do the same. Together, we are going to form a movement demanding back the money taken from us, and we will continue until it is returned,” Manage charged.

He claimed that no other political party in Sri Lanka requires its MPs to hand over their full salaries and allowances to the Party. He alleged that the system was not an official JVP policy but one introduced by a few senior individuals. “I don't know how it happens now, but all our salaries and allowances were taken in the past. If someone refused, they were pressured until they gave in,” the former MP alleged.

He claimed that throughout his political career – at Local Government, Provincial, and Parliamentary levels – he never received any of his earnings as an elected representative. “I was an MP for five years and 11 months. At that time, my monthly salary and allowances were about Rs. 250,000, all of which went into the Party’s fund,” he said.

Multiple attempts to contact the JVP Headquarter and the Cabinet Spokesperson for comment regarding the allegations proved futile.