Former Speaker of the Parliament of Sri Lanka, Karu Jayasuriya, has raised concerns over the National Constitutional Council’s decision to reject the President’s nominee for Auditor-General.
Taking to ‘X’, Jayasuriya said the Constitutional Council is a cornerstone of Sri Lanka’s democratic fabric and it was established with cross-party support under the 17th Amendment, including by the President’s own party.
“As the CC rejects the nominee for Auditor-General, we urge the government to take this matter seriously. At this critical time in our economy, a positive international image and a strong democracy are important to ensure resilience,” he added.
The former Speaker’s comments come amidst reports that the name proposed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for the post of Auditor General did not receive the approval of the Constitutional Council.
Accordingly, the proposal made by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to the Constitutional Council to grant a six-month extension to the Acting Auditor General, Mr. G.H.D. Dharmapala has been approved.
The Constitutional Council, which met yesterday, approved the President’s proposal.
The position has been vacant for 44 days following the retirement of the former Auditor General.
The opposition has accused President Anura Kumara Dissanayake of appointing an outsider from the Auditor General’s Department for the position. (Newswire)