The National People’s Power (NPP) has stated that there is no need for a party-level inquiry into the controversy surrounding former Speaker of Parliament MP Ashoka Sapumal Ranwala’s PhD degree.
Ranwala, who resigned just weeks after being elected Speaker, faced public scrutiny over the authenticity of his educational qualifications. In a statement, he denied any wrongdoing, claiming that he had never misrepresented his qualifications but is currently unable to provide certain documents to verify them.
When asked if the NPP would investigate the matter internally, General Secretary of the NPP and MP Nihal Abeysinghe confirmed that no such inquiry would take place. “Ranwala has stated that he will submit his educational certificates, and we have given him the opportunity to do so. There is no need for an investigation,” Abeysinghe said.
The controversy erupted shortly after Ranwala’s election as Speaker, when social media posts questioned the legitimacy of his academic credentials. Colleagues from his former job at the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery, where he worked as an operator, claimed that his qualifications were false, further fueling the public debate.
In response, the main opposition party, Samagi Jana Balawegaya, moved to introduce a no-confidence motion, accusing Ranwala of misleading the public by presenting fake qualifications.
In his resignation statement, Ranwala acknowledged that an issue had arisen regarding his educational qualifications but reiterated that he had never made a false statement. He explained that while he has requested the necessary documents from the institutions, it is difficult to submit them promptly.
The controversy has sparked significant discussion, but for now, the NPP has closed the matter at the party level, leaving Ranwala to resolve the issue on his own.
