Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa challenged the government to immediately conduct the long-delayed Provincial Council elections to test its true level of public support.
Speaking at a farmers gathering in Tissamaharama on Saturday, the Opposition Leader raised concerns over rising living costs, judicial interference, and economic mismanagement.
Focusing heavily on economic hardships, Premadasa condemned the recent price hike of Rs. 17 per kilogram of wheat flour, warning that the increase would drive up the cost of essential bakery goods and further strain household budgets nationwide.
Citing international data, he noted that Sri Lanka ranked 120th out of 130 countries in global minimum wage comparisons, demonstrating that local earnings remain grossly inadequate against rising expenses.
He questioned official poverty metrics from the Department of Census and Statistics, asking how any individual could reasonably survive on Rs. 17,315 a month when an estimated 30 to 40 percent of the national population now lives in poverty.
Moving to constitutional concerns, he accused the administration of trying to erode judicial independence through the proposed 22nd Amendment, which aims to extend the retirement age of superior court judges.
He urged the government to replace its current economic approach with comprehensive policies targeting agriculture, healthcare, foreign direct investment, and a strategic overhaul of national tourism.
The Opposition Leader warned that without structural relief measures, deteriorating living standards and democratic backsliding risk triggering severe national instability as the country awaits a government response on electoral timelines and economic policy reform.
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