The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption today announced a one‑week extension for individuals unable to submit their asset and liability declarations by the original deadline.

According to media reports, the Bribery Commission has announced that declarations can now be filed until midnight on July 7. 

The extension was granted after heavy online traffic caused disruptions on the Commission’s website, with large numbers of people attempting to submit forms simultaneously.

Tuesday, June 30, had earlier been declared the final date for submissions, with Director General Ranga Dissanayake warning that those failing to comply by the deadline would face fines.

The Bribery Commission has now said that the grace period was introduced to ensure all individuals have the opportunity to complete their mandatory filings despite technical difficulties. (Newswire)

The post Bribery Commission extends asset declaration deadline by one week appeared first on Newswire.

Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has welcomed the introduction of a new Structural Benchmark in the IMF’s Third Review Agreement, which it states addressed gaps in implementing the Asset Declarations system under the Anti-Corruption Act of 2023. 

Issuing a statement, TISL said this is a significant step toward ensuring public access to asset declarations, a long-standing reform for which it has strongly advocated.

The benchmark requires the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) to remove excessive redactions, disclose bank balances and other asset values, improve accessibility, publish non-filers’ names, include Beneficial Ownership details in declaration forms, and enact a comprehensive Asset Recovery Law in line with UNCAC obligations. 

While this progress is welcome, TISL said it highlights a broader concern, as government institutions often prioritize procedural compliance over meaningful reform.

Weak governance and corruption were key contributors to Sri Lanka’s economic collapse, yet accountability remains lacking when governance-related commitments are not effectively implemented. Critical transparency and anti-corruption reforms risk being delayed or diluted without structured oversight and meaningful public engagement.

Pointing out that without genuine public participation, governance reforms risk becoming ineffective, TISL has called on the government to establish a structured, transparent mechanism for civil society engagement in governance reforms, particularly within International Financial Institution led programs such as the IMF agreement. 

This mechanism must go beyond ad-hoc consultations and ensure that reforms are developed, implemented, and monitored with input from the public and civil society organizations, reflecting real-world challenges and needs. An open, participatory approach will not only strengthen reform outcomes but also build public trust in the process, it said.

TISL further urged International Financial Institutions to institutionalize civil society participation, ensuring governance reforms are not reduced to box-ticking exercises. Just as macroeconomic targets are rigorously assessed, governance commitments must be subject to the same level of scrutiny.

Upcoming reforms on proceeds of crime, public procurement, and beneficial ownership transparency must be implemented in ways that guarantee genuine progress. TISL emphasized that the strength of Sri Lanka’s economic recovery will not be determined by financial restructuring alone but by its commitment to accountability, open governance, and the rule of law. (Newswire)

The post TISL welcomes IMF structural benchmark on Asset Declarations appeared first on Newswire.

National People’s Power (NPP) politburo member Sunil Handunnetti says as the first task after assuming office as the President, NPP Leader MP Anura Kumara Dissanayake must investigate the assets and liabilities declared by President Ranil Wickremesinghe. 

Addressing the media today, Sunil Handunnetti alleged that President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s declaration of assets and liabilities was deceitful and the public would not believe it.

Sunil Handunnetti made the remarks in response to a question raised on the declared assets and liabilities of the President being less than those of the other Presidential candidates. 

“Can you believe that the assets and liabilities declaration of Anura Kumara Dissanayake is higher than that of the President? Will the public believe this fact? A fraudulent act has taken place here too. I think as the first task after assuming office as the President, Anura Kumara Dissanayake must probe whether Ranil Wickremesinghe’s assets and liabilities declaration is correct,” he said. 

Stating that the public knows how Ranil Wickremesinghe has made his earnings, Sunil Handunnetti said the earnings include the money from the Central Bank bond scam, but they are in different bank accounts. 

He questioned whether the public is willing to believe the fact that President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s assets are less than those of Anura Kumara Dissanayake. (Newswire)

The post NPP questions Ranil’s asset declaration appeared first on Newswire.

The asset declarations of over 100 top officials, including President Ranil Wickremesinghe and the Prime Minister, have been made public. 

The asset declarations can be accessed via  https://ads.ciaboc.lk.

According to the Head of the Governance & Anti-Corruption Unit at Sri Lanka think-tank, Verité Research Sankhitha Gunaratne, several key pieces of information, such as the balances in bank accounts and the dates on which the bank accounts had been opened, have been redacted from the statements. 

Gunaratne further states making the asset declaration public was a key recommendation of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), but some vital information has been redacted and published under section 88(1) of the Anti-Corruption Act NO 9 of 2023. (Newswire)

The post Asset declaration of top officials including President & PM now public appeared first on Newswire.