Senior Buddhist prelates in Sri Lanka have called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to appoint a suitably qualified senior official from within the Auditor General’s Department to the post of Auditor General, cautioning against the selection of an external candidate.
In a letter addressed to the President, the chief prelates of the three main Buddhist chapters said that Dharmapala Gammanpila, a senior officer with extensive experience in the department, would be a suitable choice and urged that the appointment be made without further delay.
The position of Auditor General has remained vacant since the retirement of W.P.C. Wickramaratne in April 2025. Gammanpila was appointed to serve in an acting capacity; however, his term ended in December 2025. Reports indicate that several nominees submitted by the President to the Constitutional Council have since been rejected.
The prolonged delay in filling the post has drawn criticism from opposition parties, who accuse the government of failing to appoint a key official responsible for overseeing public finance and accountability.
The prelates warned that continued delays have sparked public debate over state financial oversight and could contribute to negative perceptions of the government’s economic programme. They emphasized that the role of Auditor General is vital to ensuring transparency in public finances and maintained that appointing someone from outside the department would be inappropriate.
