Absence of an Auditor General hampers parliamentary oversight: Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara

By Yohan Perera 

Opposition MP Dayasiri Jayasekara warned that the continued absence of an Auditor General has become a serious issue, further complicating parliamentary oversight. He noted that with the expiry of the civil society members’ terms, key parliamentary oversight bodies such as the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) and the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) are effectively unable to function.

The term of the three civil society representatives of the Constitutional Council ends today, and parliamentary committees such as COPE and COPA have come to a standstill due to the absence of an Auditor General,” MP Jayasekara told the Daily Mirror. He added that the Opposition would raise the matter in Parliament next week. According to MP Jayasekara, parliamentary committees cannot be convened without an Auditor General, in terms of Articles 148 and 152 of the Constitution. Meanwhile, Chairman of the Committee on Public Finance (COPF), Dr Harsha de Silva, has informed President Anura Kumara Dissanayake that the absence of an Auditor General during a post-disaster period is particularly troubling. In a letter addressed to the President, Dr de Silva pointed out that the Government has already established the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund, raising concerns over accountability. “The question arises as to who would audit this fund. It is also essential that the fund be incorporated in Parliament. Auditing will only be possible if it is incorporated by the legislature. An Auditor General is required to monitor and audit the Rebuilding Sri Lanka Fund,” he stated. 

Dr de Silva urged the President to appoint an Auditor General without further delay, reminding him that financial powers are vested in the legislature under Article 148 of the Constitution. “I have been informed by the President’s Secretary that the President has received my letter. However, the President has failed to act on it to date,” Dr de Silva said, adding that the letter was sent following discussions with other members of the COPF. The tenure of the Acting Auditor General expired on December 6 last year. Efforts to appoint a permanent Auditor General have stalled after several nominees proposed by the President were rejected by the Constitutional Council.