Senior Buddhist prelates have urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to appoint a qualified officer from within the Auditor General’s Department to the post, warning against selecting an external candidate.

They recommended Dharmapala Gammanpila, a senior departmental officer with long experience, as a suitable choice and called for an urgent appointment.

The Auditor General position has been vacant since April 2025, and delays have raised concerns over public finance oversight and transparency.