Sri Lanka faces dual crises: escalating gang violence and systemic challenges in its tax regime. Recent brazen killings, including a murder inside a Colombo court, highlight eroding rule of law, while police extrajudicial actions raise accountability concerns. Simultaneously, the 2025 Budget’s proposed 25% cash deposit requirement for tax appeals threatens to worsen taxpayer exploitation—81% of disputed taxes are already deemed uncollectable due to flawed assessments.
Taxpayers, the backbone of national development, endure harassment and bureaucratic corruption, with key IMF-backed safeguards like the Taxpayer Charter ignored. Reforms—enforcing existing laws, shortening assessment timelines, and appointing a Tax Ombudsman—are urgently needed to restore fairness. The government must choose between perpetuating systemic failures or upholding transparency and taxpayer rights.
