The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has called for the Auditor General’s report on alleged coal procurement irregularities to be formally referred to the Attorney General through Parliament, opening a fresh political route on the scandal.
Speaking at a media briefing in Colombo on Sunday, SJB Senior Vice President and former Minister Attorney-at-Law Lakshman Kiriella said Parliament holds financial authority and must ensure the report is forwarded to the AG for legal action. The Auditor General’s report, he said, contained significant information regarding alleged coal procurement-related fraud.
Kiriella accused the government of avoiding the core issue by appointing multiple commissions instead of pursuing established parliamentary procedures, calling the approach a delay tactic that diverts attention from the underlying allegations.
“The government is delaying action by appointing commissions instead of following the established process,” Kiriella said.
He noted that the Auditor General had already confirmed concerns regarding the quality of coal imports, and added that such reports should pass through the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE) before being escalated for legal consideration. The COPE-to-Attorney General route is the opposition’s preferred accountability mechanism, contrasting with the government’s parallel reliance on the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (PCOI) and CID investigation tracks.
The SJB’s intervention follows a series of escalating procedural manoeuvres on the coal file, including the CID seizure of procurement files and the Joint Opposition’s allegation that the supplier was not registered when the contract was signed.
Kiriella also claimed opposition parties had maintained unity on the coal issue and indicated that a broader opposition alliance could form under SJB leader Sajith Premadasa in the event of an election. He criticised the government for failing to fulfil election promises despite winning office on a wide policy mandate.
