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Sri Lanka Audit Service Association discussion on 20A with President 

14 Sep 2020

By Maheesha Mudugamuwa The Sri Lanka Audit Service Association (SLASA) is to meet President Gotabaya Rajapaksa this week to discuss the possible negative impact on the country’s independent audit services with the implementation of the 20th Amendment to the Constitution. Speaking to The Morning, SLASA Secretary R.M.P.A. Janaka said the (Audit Service) Commission was established in 2015 by the 19th Amendment to the Constitution but the Commission was not fully given powers for the past five years. “Although there were a number of bad things that happened through the 19th Amendment, the Audit Service Commission was one of the good features introduced to the country. Nevertheless, up until now, the Commission was not given full authority, and as a result many described the Commission as a white elephant,” he stressed. Janaka also noted that the main objective of the Commission was to establish an independent audit service in the country. He further stated that the Commission was established to control the administrative and financial powers of the auditors so that the executive interference was not affected by the audit service. Prior to 2015, the auditors were also governed under the Public Service Commission and financial control was vested with the Ministry of Finance. If the Commission was repealed by the 20th Amendment, the audit service would go back to where it was before 2015, he explained. To maintain the independence of the Commission, it is important to separate the auditors from the executive, he noted. However, the SLASA reiterated that they did not have any intention to go into battle with the Government and they believed that by discussing the matter with the President, the SLASA could find a solution.


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