Privithuru Hela Urumaya leader and attorney-at-law Udaya Gammanpila has unleashed a scathing attack on President Anura Dissanayake, branding him “the most corrupt president in Sri Lanka’s history” for allegedly attempting to appoint a close friend as the Auditor General.
At a media briefing held today, Gammanpila pointed out that the post of Auditor General has remained vacant since April. The acting appointee, Dharmapala Gammanpila, possesses the necessary educational and professional qualifications, extensive experience, and has earned the full support of the department. The Audit Officers’ Association has formally requested President Dissanayake to confirm Gammanpila’s appointment and even addressed the public to underscore their demand.
However, Gammanpila accused the President of pushing to install a friend from Kelaniya in the post instead. The proposal was reportedly rejected by the three civil society representatives on the Constitutional Council. With their term ending on January 3, 2026, Gammanpila warned that Dissanayake could still install his preferred candidate if a new member supports the move.
To this end, the President has allegedly delayed the permanent appointment by extending Dharmapala Gammanpila’s acting term: first two weeks, then a month, and now six months. By the end of this window, a newly formed Constitutional Council could potentially approve the Kelani friend.
“The Auditor General must be independent from the executive. Even notoriously corrupt leaders have never attempted to appoint their own friends to this post,” Gammanpila charged. “Why is this president so afraid to appoint a qualified, independent individual if his administration is clean?”
Gammanpila claimed that this entire administration is preparing to extract as much as possible from the state during its remaining tenure, likening the effort to inebriated looters in a crumbling system. He accused the government of systematically exploiting national institutions.
Parliament, he insisted, must hold the Constitutional Council accountable. Yet, he lamented that not a single member has questioned the delay in filling the role.
Excise Commissioner Controversy
Turning to another appointment, Gammanpila criticized the installation of retired Navy Commodore N.D.N.A. Premaratne as Commissioner General of Excise. “If he had been appointed to the Ports Authority or Maritime Pollution Prevention Authority, it would have made sense,” he remarked. “But what does a Navy Commodore know about excise duties and tax policy?”
Gammanpila argued that the Excise Department, one of Sri Lanka’s top three revenue-generating institutions alongside Inland Revenue and Customs, has never before been politicized in its leadership appointment since its establishment in 1912.
He alleged that Premaratne’s appointment was not based on merit but political bias and personal affiliation. Gammanpila highlighted Premaratne’s origins in Thabuttegama, the President’s home district—and his marriage to Wasantha Subasinghe, a former National List candidate from the Malima political coalition. Subasinghe was also recently appointed Vice Chancellor of Wickramaarachchi Ayurveda University.
“One appointment pulls toward Kelaniya. Another pulls toward Thabuttegama. One is a retired military officer. The other is a political ally. What kind of Renaissance is this government offering to the people?” he asked.
He accused the President of violating his own pledges to eradicate nepotism and political favoritism. Instead, he alleged, the President is strengthening a network of loyalists and family ties within key national institutions.
“Those who voted for Malima have already lost their shirts,” Gammanpila said. “Please have mercy. Don’t strip them naked.”
The remarks underscore a deepening rift between the government and opposition over accountability, institutional integrity, and the erosion of democratic norms. As the country grapples with economic hardship and political instability, these appointments have added fuel to a growing fire of public discontent.
