Speaking to BBC's Thisara Rathuwithana, AFP's Sri Lanka bureau chief Amal Jayasinghe has said that such taxes were deemed necessary to cover the costs needed to provide relief ensured to the public, as the Treasury taken over by the new government is not in a 'good state'.

Revenge

He also added that certain super rich businessmen are alleging that this 'super gain tax' was imposed with the intention of taking revenge on them for backing former President Mahinda Rajapaksa at the recently concluded Presidential election.

However, the new government debates that these businessmen have acquired riches in an unusual and unjust manner while the previous government was in power, and that this is a one-time tax, Jayasinghe further said.