While trade unions and many stakeholder parties criticise the Government's decision to nominate an individual from outside the Auditor General's (AG) Department for the top post, the Government defended the move, stating that the President is empowered by the Constitution to appoint an experienced individual from the sector as the AG, even if not from within the department.

These remarks were made by Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa, at the weekly Cabinet media briefing held yesterday (27), in response to questions raised by the media regarding the Constitutional Council’s (CC) decision to reject President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s nominee for the post of the AG. Minister Dr. Jayatissa stated that the President can nominate someone outside the National Audit Office based on their qualifications and experience, and that he is constitutionally empowered to do so.

Meanwhile, the media questioned the rationale behind the CC’s decision to reject the President’s nominee, inquiring as to whether there was any issue regarding the nominee’s qualifications. “There are only two historical examples where individuals from outside have been appointed to the top post. The senior-most officer currently acting in the position is well qualified. There are no allegations against him. With all that, why is an outsider being nominated, and if he was qualified, why was he rejected?” the media queried.

Dr. Jayatissa responded saying: “This does not mean that the President’s nominee is less qualified. In any case, the CC rejected the nomination. They don’t rely solely on qualifications. This is not an issue concerning qualifications. We nominated a person with all the necessary qualifications.”

Meanwhile, last week, the CC unanimously approved President Dissanayake’s request to extend AG W.P.C. Dharmapala Gammanpila’s term by six months, Government sources confirmed. The request was approved by all members of the CC, according to sources.