The Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCOI) appointed to investigate all coal-related transactions in Sri Lanka has formally commenced operations, with its office now established within the Colombo Hulftsdorp Court Complex.
The commission was appointed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake with full inquiry powers. It is chaired by Supreme Court Judge Gihan Kulatunga, with Court of Appeal Judge Adithya Patabendige and High Court Judge Sanjeewa Somarathne as members. Former Ministry Secretary P. V. Bandulasena has been appointed Secretary to the Commission.
The commission’s primary mandate is to examine whether irregularities or illegal actions occurred in the importation of coal and the generation of electricity by the government-owned coal company or its successors, from the commencement of coal-based power generation in Sri Lanka up to April 16, 2026.
The inquiry will cover all coal imports and related activities during the specified period, with particular focus on compliance with legal and procedural requirements.
The PCOI was gazetted earlier this month with a timeline indicating operations would begin the following week. Its launch follows a series of accountability developments including a National Audit Office finding that the contractor supplying Lakvijaya coal, Trident Champhar, was unregistered at contract signing — a procedural allegation first raised by the Joint Opposition.
The commission’s broad scope — covering every coal shipment since coal-fired generation began — makes it one of the widest-mandated inquiries appointed under the current administration. Political observers will watch closely for how quickly witness hearings are scheduled and whether the commission opts to prioritise recent shipments or work chronologically from inception.
