President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has formally gazetted a Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCOI) with full investigative powers to probe irregularities in coal imports and electricity generation in Sri Lanka.
The commission was established under Section 2 of the Special Presidential Commissions of Inquiry Act No. 7 of 1978. Its mandate covers the entire period from the inception of coal-based power generation in Sri Lanka up to April 16, 2026, focusing on transactions involving the state-owned Lanka Coal (Private) Limited and its subsidiaries.
Commission Members
Supreme Court Justice Gihan Kulatunga has been appointed chairman. Court of Appeal Justice Aditya Patabendige and High Court Justice Sanjeewa Somaratne serve as members, with former Ministry Secretary P.V. Bandulasena as secretary.
Scope of Inquiry
The commission will examine procurement, supply, quality testing, and operational processes to determine whether substandard coal was imported, whether electricity generation met expected efficiency levels, and whether contractual violations caused losses to the state.
It is also tasked with identifying political authorities, officials, and suppliers responsible for any wrongdoing and recommending corrective measures.
The gazette formalises a pledge President Dissanayake made during the April 10 no-confidence debate against Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody, which the government survived 153–49. The COPE audit and coal quality investigations had already flagged billions in losses from substandard imports.
The appointment of a sitting Supreme Court judge as chairman signals the highest level of judicial independence for the investigation.
