Sri Lanka's 2025-26 budget passed in parliament on Friday with a majority vote, signaling mixed political support. Out of 225 members, 160 voted in favor, while 42 opposed, and eight abstained. Significantly, at least three opposition MPs, representing the Indian-origin Tamil plantation worker community, supported the government's proposal to increase plantation workers' daily wages to LKR 1,750.

Presented by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on November 7, who oversees the finance portfolio, the budget emphasizes strengthening tax collection and increasing state revenue. This initiative is critical to meeting the conditions of the ongoing IMF-led economic revival program. The debate over the budget lasted a week, during which the main opposition accused the government of presenting a bu

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