Is There a Decision to Reduce Electricity Bills by 22.5% with the Appointment of New President Anura Kumara Dissanayake?

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Since Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s appointment as president, social media has seen a surge of misleading posts targeting both him and his newly formed government. Many of these posts spread false or exaggerated claims, often distorting facts about his policies, actions, and appointments.

Social Media Posts

Amidst the political climate and the recent presidential election, a claim is being widely shared on social media that the newly appointed president, Anura Kumara Dissanayake, will reduce electricity tariffs by 22.5%. This claim has garnered significant attention, particularly as the country deals with economic challenges, and any relief in utility bills is seen as welcome news.

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FB  | Archived

We decided to do a fact check on this.  

Fact Check : 

Mainstream Media Coverage: To verify this claim, we conducted a thorough search of mainstream media outlets and official announcements. No credible media source or news report has mentioned any decision or plan to reduce the electricity bill by 22.5%.

Communication with the CEB: To further investigate the claim, we reached out to the spokesperson for the Ceylon Electricity Board (CEB), who confirmed that no such decision has been made to reduce electricity tariffs by 22.5%. The spokesperson emphasized that any changes in the electricity tariff would require careful evaluation and official approval, none of which have occurred at this point.

Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s Election Pledge: The claim appears to be linked to a statement made by Anura Kumara Dissanayake during the election campaign. In his campaign, he promised to explore ways to reduce the burden of utility costs on the public, including a potential cut in electricity tariffs. However, his speech referenced a potential reduction of one-third of the tariff, which is around 33.3%, not 22.5%.That promise can be read here Archived 

Moreover, this promise was contingent upon the broader economic restructuring of the energy sector and would require proper implementation over time. No immediate or specific figure such as 22.5% was ever cited in official statements or campaign speeches.

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Conclusion:

The claim circulating on social media that Anura Kumara Dissanayake has decided to reduce electricity bills by 22.5% is false. There has been no official announcement from the government or the CEB regarding such a reduction. The confusion likely stems from a misinterpretation of a broader campaign promise about potential future cuts in electricity tariffs.

As of now, no such decision has been made, and the public is advised to rely on official sources for any updates regarding changes to utility bills.