Colombo, October 24 (Daily Mirror) - While refuting claims by former President Ranil Wickremesinghe that his government had allocated funds required to increase public sector salaries, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake said that no such funds had been allocated.

Speaking at an election rally in Puttalam, he said funds are usually allocated through the budget or Vote on Accounts presented in Parliament to allocate additional funds for various expenditure heads.

The President said the decision to increase public sector salaries was taken in haste just before the postal voting for the last Presidential election.

“The Cabinet decision to increase public sector salaries was taken on September 3 just before the postal voting on September 4, 5 and 6. No funds had been allocated,” he said.

President Dissanayake said however, the government has decided to allocate funds through the 2025 budget to increase public sector salaries.