Sri Lanka, Sept. 12 -- The government has disclosed that over Rs. 491 million were spent on former presidents and their widows over a period of eight and a half years.

The expenditure, which covers pensions, vehicles, and other costs, was incurred between 2017 and the first six months of 2025.

The beneficiaries include former Presidents Chandrika Kumaratunga, Mahinda Rajapaksa, Maithripala Sirisena, Gotabaya Rajapaksa, and Ranil Wickremesinghe, as well as Hema Premadasa, the widow of late President R. Premadasa.

The report outlines the periods for which each individual has been entitled to these benefits. Hema Premadasa, Chandrika Kumaratunga, and Mahinda Rajapaksa have been receiving these entitlements since 2017.

Maithripala Sirise...