The Sri Lanka Cricket Institute was summoned before the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) which met yesterday (Nov. 14) Chaired by Hon. (Prof.) Ranjith Bandara, Member of Parliament.
Matters including the special audit report related to the 2022 International Cricket Council T-20 World Cup (Men) cricket tournament were investigated at the Committee meeting held. A group of officials including Mr. Kanapathipillai Mahesan, the Secretary to the Ministry of Sports, Mr. Shammi Silva, the President of the Sri Lanka Cricket, Mr. Ashley De Silva, the Chief Executive Officer, were present at the Committee meeting held.
At the beginning of the Committee, the Auditor General explained how the Auditor General has got the power to audit Sri Lanka Cricket based on the legal provisions including Article 154 of the Constitution.
Although the secretary said that the necessary guidance and orders have been given to the sports clubs including Sri Lanka Cricket, the Committee emphasized that the intervention of the Ministry should be increased.
According to the legal provisions, the executive committee should get the minister's approval. However, subject to the Minister's cover approval, the secretary has given approval on 07.10.2022, to which the minister's approval was not given. Accordingly, it was decided to bring the former secretary in the future and look into the related files.
The fact that nearly 8 million rupees which was accounted to be paid for the members of the executive committee for the Australian trip were removed from the accounts during the audit and the related bills were not submitted to the audit was also taken into discussion. Accordingly, COPE emphasized that proper methods should be prepared to carry out the functions of Sri Lanka cricket.
According to a 2016 gazette paper, it was also discussed that by removing the powers of the Auditor General's Department in 2020, sports associations will be empowered to act as they wish. Due to this situation, it was discussed that sports associations have been empowered to spend money as they wish and therefore the legal situation in 2016 should be reviewed.
concerns such as the issuing of visa letters for Australian travel, audit inquiries related to the purchase of air tickets, and the need to use an open method with transparency in selecting media organizations for foreign travel were also addressed.
Thus, the Committee ordered the Secretary to the Ministry to develop the proper procedure for Sri Lanka cricket and the need to strengthen the internal audit of the cricket institution was also emphasized by the Committee.
It was also decided to continue the investigation regarding Sri Lanka Cricket Board for three days and inform the dates in the future.
State Ministers Hon. Jagath Pushpakumara, Hon. Janaka Wakkumbura, Hon. Shantha Bandara, Members of Parliament Hon. Anura Dissanayaka, Anura Priyadarshana Yapa, Hon. Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Hon. Dayasiri Jayasekara, Hon. Rohitha Abeygunawardana, Hon. Eran Wickramaratne, Hon. Nimal Lanza, Hon. S. M. Marikkar, Hon. Hesha Withanage, Hon. Sanjeeva Edirimanna, Hon. Jagath Kumara Sumithraarachchi, Hon. (Major) Sudarshana Denipitiya, Hon. Premnath C. Dolawatte, Hon. Upul Mahendra Rajapaksha, Hon. M. Rameshwaran, Hon. (Mrs.) Rajika Wickramasinghe, Hon. Madhura Withanage, Hon. (Prof.) Charitha Herath, were present at the Committee meeting held.
2026-05-26
The Central Provincial Council was summoned before the Committee on Public Accounts (COPA) to examine the Auditor General’s triennial report for the years 2021–2023, the Auditor General’s report for 2024, and the Council’s current performance.The committee meeting, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Kabir Hashim, was held recently at Parliament.During the meeting, attention was drawn to the progress made in implementing recommendations issued at the COPA meeting held on 5th September, 2019. Discussions focused on the incident involving the destruction of files belonging to the Central Provincial Passenger Transport Authority.It was revealed that directives issued by the relevant court and the Presidential Secretary regarding the incident had not been implemented by the responsible authorities. In this regard, the Committee Chairman instructed officials of the Central Provincial Council to submit all reports and correspondence related to the incident to the committee.In addition, the committee discussed an incident involving the unlawful transfer of a rest house owned by the Road Development Authority to a third party in violation of lease conditions. Accordingly, the Chairman instructed officials to identify the officers responsible for making the relevant decisions and to submit a report to the committee on the legal action being taken in connection with the matter.The committee also held extensive discussions on irregularities identified by the National Audit Office in road development and passenger transport services in the Central Province, as well as issues affecting the health sector.Expressing his views during the meeting, the Chairman emphasized the importance of expediting ongoing investigations within institutions and focusing on follow-up action. He further stressed that if a state institution generates profits, such profits should accrue to the government, and if such revenue is used for institutional activities, established legal provisions and procedures must be strictly followed.The meeting was attended by committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Dr. M.L.A.M. Hizbullah, Ruwanthilaka Jayakody, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Sunil Rathnasiri, Oshani Umanga, Susantha Kumara Navarathna, Ajantha Gammeddage, Chanaka Madugoda, T.K. Jayasundara and Lal Premanath along with a group of government officials.
2026-05-26
The Parliamentary Select Committee of Parliament to look into and report to Parliament on the matter of selecting the Electoral System under which the Provincial Council Elections should be held and submit its proposals and recommendations in that regard, recently sought views from the Attorney General’s Department and members of the Election Commission.The discussion took place when the committee met in Parliament under the chairmanship of Hon. Minister Vijitha Herath.During the meeting, the Attorney General’s Department briefed the committee on the existing legal obstacles to holding Provincial Council elections and the possible ways in which such obstacles could be removed to facilitate the conduct of the elections.The Election Commission informed the committee that it is prepared to conduct Provincial Council elections at any time under the legal provisions enacted by Parliament based on the committee’s recommendations.The meeting was attended by Hon. Deputy Ministers Arun Hemachandra, Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law and Muneer Mulaffer as well as committee members Hon. Members of Parliament Mano Ganesan, Shanakiyan Rajaputhiran Rasamanickam, Dharmapriya Wijesinghe, Samanmali Gunasinghe and Lakshman Nipuna Arachchi. The committee member M. Nizam Kariapper, P.C also participated virtually.
2026-05-25
The Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus has decided to examine the ongoing legal proceedings and matters relating to the protection of the girl involved in the sexual abuse incident reported from the Anuradhapura area.This decision was taken during the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus meeting chaired by Hon. Minister Saroja Savithri Paulraj, held in Parliament today (May 25). Accordingly, a special discussion has been scheduled for 05.06.2026 with the participation of relevant institutions including the Sri Lanka Police, the Attorney General’s Department, the National Child Protection Authority and the Department of Probation and Child Care Services.In addition to the incident, which has generated significant public concern, the discussion is also expected to focus extensively on strengthening the laws and empowering the institutions required to prevent all forms of violence against women and children.Meanwhile, it was also decided to appoint a subcommittee under the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus to oversee the future legal proceedings relating to the Anuradhapura girl’s case and to identify the institutional and legal reforms required in the country to eliminate violence against women and children.The subcommittee will be led by the deputy co-chairs of the Women Parliamentarians’ Caucus Hon. Members of Parliament Samanmali Gunasinghe and Attorney-at-Law Chamindrani Kiriella. The other members of the subcommittee will be Hon. Hemali Weerasekara, Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathna, Attorney-at-Law Sagarika Athauda, Attorney-at-Law Nilanthi Kottahachchi, Attorney-at-Law Nilusha Lakmali Gamage, Attorney-at-Law Thushari Jayasinghe, Attorney-at-Law Anushka Thilakarathna, Attorney-at-Law Hasara Liyanage, Attorney-at-Law Hiruni Wijesinghe and Attorney-at-Law Lakmali Hemachandra.
2026-05-25
The progress of implementing the new education reforms was reviewed at a recent meeting of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Education, Manpower and Human Capital, chaired by Hon. Member of Parliament Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi. During the meeting held in Parliament on the 19th, extensive discussions were held on the implementation of the new education reforms.Secretary to the Ministry of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, Mr. Nalaka Kaluwewa, briefed the committee on the manner in which the new education reforms are being implemented.The meeting was attended by Hon. Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, committee members, provincial education secretaries, school principals, and several other officials.
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