A group of former Ceylon Electricity Board employees who accepted voluntary retirement packages during the utility’s restructuring say they are yet to receive the compensation promised to them, more than a month after the CEB was formally dissolved.
The retirees’ association said the government had pledged compensation payments following the CEB’s dissolution on March 9, when the state-owned power utility was split into six successor entities. Despite assurances, no payments have been disbursed, the group told media on Saturday.
The former employees said the prolonged delay had caused severe financial hardship, with many struggling to meet basic expenses. In response, the association has submitted a formal complaint to the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, arguing that the non-payment constitutes a violation of their fundamental rights.
A separate letter was also sent to Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody, who has faced mounting political pressure over the energy portfolio in recent weeks, including a no-confidence motion in Parliament that was defeated on April 10.
The CEB restructuring was a key condition of Sri Lanka’s IMF programme, with the Board split into generation, transmission, distribution, and retail entities. Employees were offered VRS packages as part of the transition, with the government expected to fund the payouts from the restructuring budget.
The union escalation adds another front to the political challenges facing the energy ministry, already dealing with the coal procurement crisis and rising electricity tariff pressures.
