Former Chairperson of the Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), Dr. Charitha Herath, has raised concerns over a proposal to expand the committee’s mandate to directly refer its findings to investigative bodies such as the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), the Inspector General of Police (IGP), and the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption.

The proposal, introduced by current COPE Chair Dr. Nishantha Samaraweera (MP–NPP), seeks to amend Standing Order 120 of Parliament.

Dr. Herath warned that such reforms could disturb the constitutional balance between the Executive, Judiciary, and Legislature, effectively transforming COPE into a “quasi-executive agency” rather than a parliamentary watchdog.

He further cautioned that politically appointed committee members may lack the legal and financial expertise to make binding judgments, increasing the risk of politically motivated or unfounded referrals. Expanding COPE’s mandate, he added, could also intimidate public servants and paralyse state administration.

Calling for safeguards, Dr. Herath urged Parliament to establish an independent review panel comprising legal and administrative experts to vet COPE’s findings before they are referred to investigative bodies.

“Oversight is vital to democracy, but it must not become overreach,” he said, stressing that accountability mechanisms should be strengthened without undermining constitutional principles.