Same salary for ex-military personnel appointed to public service posts

Former military personnel who are appointed to public service or state institutions will be entitled to draw the salary they earned while in active military service, according to an amendment to the Establishment Code of Public Service.

Accordingly, an amendment has been included in the Establishment Code since there are no specific provisions available in the Code to determine the salary of ex-servicemen when they are recruited to the public service.

The Ministry of Public Services issued a circular on Tuesday detailing the need to bring the amendment to the Establishment Code in keeping up with a Cabinet decision taken in this regard on October 10 last year. Cabinet approval was given to revise section 8 of Chapter VII of the Code.

Even though the Code briefly indicates concessions that can be granted to ex-servicemen under Chapter II of the Code, it does not specify under which provisions salaries of ex-military officers can be prepared.

Under the revised Establishment Code, the salary of ex-military personnel recruited to public service should be adjusted on the basis

of the salary the officer had earned while serving in the armed forces.

The move to revise the Establishment Code came in the wake of dozens of ex-military personnel being appointed by the present government to top posts that were held by senior officials of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS).

Despite allegations levelled by civil society organisations that the civilian administrative service is being militarised with the appointment of ex-servicemen and opposition by influential Sri Lanka Administrative Service trade unions, the Government has continued with such appointments.

The latest appointment came this week when former Army Commander Retired Maj Gen Daya Ratnayake was appointed as Secretary to the Industries Ministry of which the subject Minister is Wimal Weerawansa. The Parliament High Posts Committee also approved the appointment on Friday.