CMC budget scrapes through with two-vote majority

Budget approved amid dramatic scenes at the council 

By Yohan Perera 

The Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) budget was passed yesterday with a razor-thin majority of two votes amid alleged dramatic scenes. 

One CMC member from the opposition was taken away by the police yesterday morning amidst his protests. MP Mujibur Rahman had to rush to Kirulapone Police Station to get the member released. “I managed to get the member released on time, and he was able to rush and vote at the last minute,” MP Rahman told Daily Mirror. 

“Mayor Vraie Cally Balthazar talked of conscience when the CMC budget was defeated initially. One wonders where her conscience has gone now,” he said. 

Opposition Member of CMC Roy Bogahawata said one UNP member of CMC had gone out of the municipal chambers before the voting time, falsely claiming that his wife is in a serious condition after suffering a heart attack. “We later found out that this member has lied,” he said.

The budget, which was presented for the second time, was approved by a majority of two votes with 58 members voting in favour and 56 against. UNP member Tony Ramzi and SLMC member Zohara Buhary voted in favour. SLMC suspended Ms. Buhary from the party immediately. A letter addressed to her by SLMC Secretary Nizam Kariapper said the party has suspended her as she has acted in direct contravention of the instructions given by the party leader.

The inaugural 2026 budget proposal of the Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) was defeated by a majority of three votes on December 22, 2025. The budget received 57 votes in favour, while 60 councillors voted against it.

Mayor Balthazar, who made a comment after the approval of the budget yesterday, said the Municipal Council has approved a people-friendly budget. She said the budget was prepared with the consultation of opposition members, and it was apparently amended following the requests of all members.

Deputy Mayor Hemantha Weerakoon denied the allegations, saying one cannot make false accusations. “We are ready for to face false accusations,” he said.