COLOMBO, July 23: In response to bitter criticism by the people, parliamentarians of all Sri Lankan parties on Thursday agreed to pay market prices for subsidized luxury meals they get in the canteen.

This came after a private TV channel showed MPs having six-course five-star meals, but the chief government whip and commerce minister claimed that the TV clips were from a five-star hotel.

The minister requested the Speaker to make arrangements for this change, following protests that their representatives were getting five-star meals at prices for which ordinary people could not even get a cup of tea.