Former Speaker W.J.M. Lokubandara has passed away while receiving treatment at IDH, his family sources said.

Lokubandara, a senior politician, was infected with COVID19 and receiving treatment at the ICU for several days.

He was 81 at the time of the demise. His son, Uditha Lokubandara, is a close associate of Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa.

Apart from his political career, Lokubandara is known to be a prominent scholar who authored a number of books on history and literature.