Sri Lanka Raises Minimum Wage Ahead of Presidential Elections

Sri Lanka's Parliament has passed a bill to increase the monthly minimum wage by 12.5%, raising it to 12,500 rupees. This move comes just days before the presidential elections, where wage promises have already sparked controversy amid an economic crisis. The amendment benefits private sector employees.

Sri Lanka's Parliament Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena on Wednesday signed a bill to raise the monthly minimum wage by 12.5%, merely days before the nation's presidential elections. The bill, titled 'National Minimum Wage of Workers (Amendment) Bill,' was endorsed in accordance with article 79 of the Constitution, according to a statement from the Parliament's Media office.

The second reading debate on the amendment to the National Minimum Wage Act No. 3 of 2016 took place in Parliament on September 3. The legislation was passed without amendments and did not require a vote.

As per the new law, the monthly minimum wage will increase to 12,500 rupees from 10,000, and the daily wage will rise to 500 rupees from the previous 400. Officials noted that private sector employees stand to benefit from this adjustment. The adjustment happens at a politically sensitive time, as pledges from presidential candidates to increase state sector wages have sparked debates against the backdrop of Sri Lanka's economic crisis.

(With inputs from agencies.)