Sri Lanka Parliament passes second reading of 2026 Budget

The second reading of the 2026 Budget was approved in the Parliament of Sri Lanka today (November 14) with a majority of 118 votes.

A total of 160 MPs voted in favour, while 42 voted against. Another 8 MPs were absent at the time of voting.

Opposition MPs Mano Ganesan, V. Radhakrishnan, Palani Digambaram and Jeewan Thondaman voted in support, saying they backed the budget because of the wage increase granted to estate workers.

ITAK MPs did not take part in the vote.

The vote on the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill took place around 6:20 PM. Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his role as Minister of Finance, presented the Second Reading of the Appropriation Bill for 2026 to Parliament on November 07, 2025.

The debate on the Second Reading was held over six days, from November 08 to November 14, 2025.

The Committee Stage debate will now continue for 17 days, from November 15 to December 05, 2025.

The vote on the Third Reading of the 2026 Budget is scheduled for December 05, 2025 at 6:00 PM.

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