Vetted by NeuralPress's Multi-Agent Verifier for strict factual validity and event relevance. Our compliance engine cross-checks and filters search results to ensure zero false correlations or misleading content.
Primary Sources
Presidential Commission to probe coal deal- Bimal
Leader of the House, Minister Bimal Rathnayake, on Friday (10), informed the House that a special Presidential Commission will be appointed to look into the fraudulent coal deal at the Lakvijaya Power Plant. Addressing the No-Confidence Motion brought by the Opposition on Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody, he added that the Government treats the motion as one against the Government, thereby treating it with the seriousness it deserves. “Any No-Confidence Motion on a Minister is a No-Confidence Motion on the Government. What are we protecting in this motion? We are protecting our principles. We will never betray that principle for a Minister. We know that a large portion of our mandate is transparency. We will not hesitate to remove anyone if it affects that principle. It is because we see no fault in him that we have decided to defend him. We agree that a mistake has happened. Minister Jayakody carries moral responsibility that Minister Keheliya Rambukwella did not have; he tried to destroy the entire system. We can see that there was no corrupt intent by Minister Jayakody. There is no firm responsibility where he is concerned. The question can be asked whether he did not surgically look into this. The fact remains that we, as Ministers, receive many documents beforehand. He has neither taken any action to change the process. Yes, there is something that has gone wrong. But we need to see whether it was a mistake. Mistakes do happen without intent. We now need to look at what caused this mistake,” he added.
Govt to appoint special Presidential Commission to probe coal deals ...
“Auditor General’s reports a matter for Legislature not the Executive” Former Chairman of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) Charitha Herath has said it is the COPE, and not the Secretary to the President, that should have asked the CID to probe irregularities in the procurement of coal for the Lakvijaya power plant. Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, who is the Secretary to the President, lodged a complaint with the CID last week seeking an investigation into coal procurement. No previous Secretary to a President had done so, the former parliamentarian and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) Working Committee member said. Herath said so responding to The Island query regarding Kumanayake calling for a probe into coal procurement, since 2009, following the National Audit Office (NAO) report on the controversial procurement process for the 2025/2-26 period. Herath emphasised that COPE, taking into consideration the growing discontent over coal procurement, especially after the NAO exposed serious irregularities, should have initiated action. Herath cited the National System Operator’s (NSO) seeking an additional electricity tariff increase of 15%, in addition to 10% increase announced on 01 April, for the second quarter, to cover-up Rs 16 bn deficit in power generation, as a matter of grave concern. NSO has cited the prevailing dry weather, the continuing crisis in West Asia, and the low-grade coal that had been procured as primary reasons for the unanticipated shortfall in electricity generation. Herath said that as the Secretary to the Ministry concerned was the Chief Accounting Officer, the actions of the Secretary to the President caused a technical issue. Prof. Udayanga Hemapala, now under a cloud over the violation of procurement procedures, as confirmed by the NAO, is the Secretary to the Energy Ministry. Herath emphasised the importance of the procedure adopted in appointing a Secretary to a Ministry. “President issues one letter making the appointment. Secretary to the Finance Ministry issues a second letter underscoring the responsibilities of a Ministry Secretary as the Chief Accounting Officer of a particular Ministry,” Herath said. The second letter emphasised the accountability on the part of the Ministry Secretary regarding public finance and his direct answerability to Parliament. The ex-COPE Chief pointed out that the Secretary to the President was part of the executive. He was not part of the legislature. If there had been a directive fro...
Secretary to President complains to CID over coal imports
The Secretary to the President has lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) requesting a formal investigation into coal imports since 2009.
Govt to appoint Special Presidential Commission on coal procurement ...
Leader of the House Minister Bimal Rathnayake told Parliament that the government will appoint a Presidential Commission comprising sitting Supreme Court judges to investigate coal procurement spanning from 2009 to 2025/26.
