Sri Lanka grants special leave to public officers affected by floods

The Sri Lanka government has decided to grant special leave to public officers who were unable to report for duty due to waterlogging, floods, landslides, and road blockages caused by Cyclone Ditwah.

The relevant circular was issued yesterday (December 15) by the Secretary to the Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government to all Ministry Secretaries, Provincial Chief Secretaries, and Heads of Departments.

Accordingly, this special leave will be granted to officers who were unable to report for duty due to the suspension of public transportation services from their place of residence to their workplace as a result of Cyclone Ditwah, as well as to those who could not report for duty due to road blockages or other disaster-related impacts.

To obtain this special leave, officers must submit a request to the Head of the Institution, stating the reason for their inability to report for duty, together with a recommendation from the Grama Niladhari of their area, certified by the Divisional Secretary.

The circular further states that the Head of the Institution must examine the request certified by the Divisional Secretary and, only if personally satisfied as to its accuracy, forward it to the Head of the Department for approval of special leave for the number of days the officer was unable to report for duty.

The Ministry of Public Administration, Provincial Councils, and Local Government has also stated that the granting of this special leave should be limited exclusively to the months of November and December, 2025.