The Road Development Authority (RDA) on Sunday strongly denied allegations that more than Rs. 380 million was mistakenly paid twice to contractors, calling the claims “false, misleading, and completely baseless.”
In an official statement, the RDA said no such double payment had been made from its accounts and that no financial loss had been suffered by the institution. The authority added that it had no involvement in initiating or processing the transactions referenced in the allegations.
The denial follows public claims made on social media by Opposition MP Nalin Bandara, who alleged that over Rs. 380 million had been wrongly paid to contractors through the RDA’s payment system. Bandara is a Samagi Jana Balawegaya parliamentarian who has positioned himself as one of the more vocal Opposition voices on public finance.
The RDA dismissed the accusation as an “irresponsible and unfounded” attempt to link the institution to financial mismanagement. The authority said it was reviewing the matter and reserved the right to take “appropriate action” regarding the statements made — language that signals a possible defamation complaint.
Calling on the public and the media to verify facts before circulating such claims, the authority said the spread of unverified information damages public institutions and misleads citizens. The RDA said it remained committed to maintaining transparency, accountability and integrity in all its operations.
The exchange marks the latest case of an Opposition allegation being publicly contested by a state agency without an accompanying audit or investigative finding. Whether the RDA follows through on its threat of action against Bandara — and whether the Opposition MP produces documentary evidence to support the figure — will likely determine how far the dispute escalates. The SJB has separately filed a CID complaint over the coal tender process and continues to press for public finance accountability across several state entities.
