The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC) has confirmed it has begun receiving complaints following the recent public release of asset declarations, including those of the President and Members of Parliament (MPs).
This development marks a new phase in Sri Lanka’s ongoing battle against corruption, driven by the transformative Anti-Corruption Act No.9 of 2023, which took effect on 15 September 2023.
The influx of public feedback underscores the heightened expectations for transparency and accountability that the new legislation has ignited, fundamentally altering the landscape previously governed by the Declaration of Assets and Liabilities Law No.1 of 1975.
CIABOC Director General Ranga Dissanayake acknowledged that this increased public attention, significantly bolstered by published summaries and widespread media guidance, had directly led to these complaints.
The current climate also places an immediate focus on tomorrow’s (30) deadline for annual asset declarations, a critical juncture for ensuring compliance under the expanded provisions of the new act.
A new era
As Sri Lanka stands on the eve of the annual asset declaration deadline, the CIABOC anticipates a notably stronger compliance rate this year.
Dissanayake said: “The CIABOC has mandated and published that all required officers must submit the annual declaration by 30 June (of their assets as of 31 March), with institutional heads responsible for reviewing and forwarding these by 1 July. Thereafter, the CIABOC will commence enforcement actions under Section 90 of the Anti-Corruption Act for any cases of non-compliance.”
While precise compliance percentages are not available yet, the Director General noted a palpable shift in public and institutional behaviour.
He added: “While the exact compliance percentage is not available yet, the significant surge in inquiries from a wider range of public institutions and individuals seeking clarification and guidance on the process reflects a notable increase compared to previous years. This indicates both heightened awareness of the new requirements under the act and a broad readiness to comply.
“The CIABOC’s overall assessment suggests that compliance levels are on a stronger trajectory this year, driven by the Anti-Corruption Act’s expanded scope, proactive institutional engagement, and the introduction of strict enforcement mechanisms (viz. regulations published in the format of the form, as well as assets and liabilities).”
The Anti-Corruption Act No.9 of 2023 has significantly broadened the categories of individuals obligated to declare their assets and liabilities, casting a far wider net than any previous legislation.
Dissanayake detailed these expanded categories, noting: “The Anti-Corruption Act extends declarations beyond senior officials covered in the previous law to include the president, governors of provinces, officers of public corporations, officers of provincial councils, management of private companies where more than 25% shares are held by the Government or public corporations, the Constitutional Council, the scheduled commissions under the Constitution, private staff members of MPs and members of provincial councils and local authorities, heads of Sri Lankan diplomatic missions, staff officers of tri-forces, management of media companies, office bearers of national sports associations, etc.”
Beyond these new roles, the act introduces vital changes to the types of declarations required.
Dissanayake added: “Further declarations have been identified to include end-of-tenure and post-tenure (for two consecutive years) declarations, and change of assets (over Rs. 10 million) declarations within one month from the change.”
Digital declaration
Recently, the CIABOC introduced a downloadable digital format for asset declarations in 2025. This interim measure is paving the way for a fully integrated e-asset declaration system, which is currently under development with support from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and Asian Development Bank (ADB). The launch of this system is anticipated in 2026.
Dissanayake outlined the transformative features of the forthcoming e-system, emphasising its potential to revolutionise the declaration and vetting process, noting: “The upcoming e-system is designed to enable direct submission, reducing manual errors, and automatically generate redacted public versions within a month of submission, while flagging discrepancies, generating verification alerts, and allowing amendments within 15 days post-submission.”
These features are set to dramatically improve data integrity and streamline the entire workflow, moving away from manual processes prone to errors and delays.
The true efficacy of any asset declaration system lies in its ability to verify the accuracy and completeness of the information provided. Under Section 84 of the Anti-Corruption Act, the CIABOC is empowered with robust mechanisms for this crucial task.
Dissanayake added: “The CIABOC will verify declarations via random sampling, automatic discrepancy detection, complaint triggers, or ex mero motu identification.”
“In relation to accessing public databases (revenue, Customs, lands, etc.) under Section 85 of the Anti-Corruption Act, the e-system is expected to enhance these automated cross-checks and is capable of flagging anomalies faster while scaling up verification efforts,” he further noted.
Balancing transparency
Dissanayake further highlighted the careful approach adopted, noting: “Section 88 of the act mandates automatic publication of redacted declarations (including the removal of sensitive information such as address, ID, and bank ID) within one month of submission.”
To manage the inevitable public scrutiny and ensure responsible disclosure, the CIABOC has put in place stringent controls. “The CIABOC appointed an information officer to manage Right to Information (RTI) disclosure carefully. The publication is being done after ascertaining the ID of the person accessing the data through a system-generated verification process (a mobile OTP) comprising log entries,” the Director General added.
This layered security protocol is designed to ensure that access is verifiable and auditable. Furthermore, confirming an effort to enhance accessibility for Sri Lankans living abroad, Dissanayake added: “The last cycle was open only through domestic numbers, and provisions are being made to open access in 2025 through foreign numbers as well.”
Imminent enforcement
With the 30 June deadline merely a day away, the CIABOC is primed to initiate enforcement actions against those who fail to comply or who submit false or incomplete information.
Dissanayake outlined a clear and strict timeline for these measures as per Section 90 of the Anti-Corruption Act, noting: “The CIABOC must warn late declarants within two weeks after 30 June. Those still outstanding face daily administrative fines including one-thirtieth of the monthly salary from 1-31 July, and an enhanced rate of one-thirtieth of the six-month average salary from 1-31 August.”
He underscored the immediate nature of these actions, stating that the commission would commence enforcement immediately after Tuesday (1 July).
The consequences for continued non-compliance are severe: “Summary trial before the Magistrate’s Court (fine equivalent to last drawn gross salaries for 12 months) is from 1 September.” To further pressure compliance and inform the public, the CIABOC will publish lists of high-ranking officials (up to number 14 in the Government’s list of precedence) who fail to submit their declarations on its website.
The Director General further noted: “The act significantly expands the CIABOC’s authority by granting it proactive powers: ex officio investigations, access to cross-agency databases, and automatic referral of discrepancies to criminal or verification units. Although progress in fully operationalising internal structures has been slowed by bureaucratic red tape, the CIABOC is actively working to expedite its internal restructuring process.”
He added: “Once a dedicated unit for assets declaration enforcement is formally established within the commission, it will allow for vigorous, subject-specific follow-up, enabling systematic verification, targeted investigations, and faster response to non-compliance. These major shifts from the previous system are key to realising the full enforcement potential envisioned by the act.”
Readiness to comply
Political parties, acutely aware of the looming deadline and the renewed emphasis on transparency, have largely signalled their readiness to comply with the new requirements.
National People’s Power (NPP) General Secretary Nihal Abeysinghe said: “Party parliamentarians have been requested to submit their asset declarations through the requisite platforms and advised on the procedure of submissions on multiple occasions. The Bribery Commission has also issued instructions on the procedure of submission, so they will be submitting their asset declarations in the proper manner individually.”
He acknowledged the ongoing process for local authorities, noting that while they had been informed, “they have just set up offices, so more reminders would need to be sent”.
Similarly, Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Kabir Hashim indicated that his party members were also submitting their declarations.
“I have prepared my documents and handed them over to Parliament through my accountant. The party has also been informed and reminded, so I believe most members would have handed over theirs as well,” he stated, while acknowledging that he did not have precise figures at the moment.
Hashim also expressed uncertainty regarding the specific deadline for Local Government submissions within his party.
These statements from the leading political forces suggest a general acceptance of the new legal framework and a push for compliance from within their ranks, even as the system fully beds in.