President appoints commission to probe alleged irregularities in Lanka Coal Company
April 17, 2026 12:47 pm
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has appointed a Commission of Inquiry to investigate whether irregularities or illegal acts occurred within the state-owned Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd or its successors in relation to the importation of coal and the generation of electricity, covering the period from the inception of coal-based power generation in Sri Lanka until April 16, 2026.
The Commission was appointed in accordance with the provisions of Section 2 of the Special Presidential Commissions of Inquiry Act No. 07 of 1978, as amended by the Special Presidential Commissions of Inquiry (Special Provisions) Act No. 04 of 1978.
Supreme Court Justice Gihan Kulatunga has been appointed as the Chairman of the Commission, while Court of Appeal Justice Aditya Patabandige and High Court Justice Sanjeeva Somaratne serve as members. Former State Ministry Secretary P. V. Bandulasena has been appointed as the Secretary to the Commission.
The Commission has been tasked with the following mandates:
• To determine whether irregularities or illegal acts occurred in the procurement process for coal imports and to assess any resulting financial loss to the government.
• To investigate whether substandard coal was imported during the relevant period and to examine the entire associated workflow, including procurement, supply, quality testing, operational, and utility processes.
• To ascertain whether electricity generation using imported coal reached the expected levels of efficiency and productivity.
• To investigate whether legal or financial irregularities or illegal acts occurred during the power generation process if substandard coal was indeed utilized.
• To examine whether there were any breaches of expressed terms or conditions in these processes and, if so, whether measures such as withholding payments or other compensatory actions were taken.
• To identify the political authorities, government officials, officers of Lanka Coal Company (Pvt) Ltd, suppliers, or their agents responsible for any such incidents and to recommend future action to be taken against them.
• To propose measures to prevent the recurrence of such alleged malpractices or illegal acts in the future and to ensure proper governance and integrity.
In addition to the above, the Commission will also report on any other alleged malpractices or illegal acts related to coal importation and electricity generation, and recommend preventive measures to address such issues.
