President Directs Review of Anti-Corruption Law Changes to Keep Politicians’ Asset Declarations Public
August 06, Colombo (LNW): President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has directed officials to reconsider proposed amendments to Sri Lanka’s Anti-Corruption Act, with instructions to ensure that asset declarations submitted by politicians and elected representatives remain available for public scrutiny, a senior government official has confirmed.
The decision follows concerns surrounding a draft amendment published through a Gazette notification on July 24, 2026, which proposed revisions to the existing asset declaration system established under the Anti-Corruption Act, No. 9 of 2023.
According to the official, the proposed changes were originally developed after considering the large volume of declarations expected to be submitted under the legislation, with estimates indicating that nearly 160,000 declarations could be filed. The review had also taken into account concerns expressed by private sector professionals serving on government boards, who argued that compulsory public access to their declarations could raise issues relating to personal privacy.
The proposed amendment was intended to address those concerns by creating a distinction between different categories of individuals required to submit asset declarations.
However, after further discussions, President Dissanayake has instructed officials to revise the draft so that the privacy concerns of non-political individuals can be addressed without limiting public access to the financial disclosures of politicians and elected officials.
The senior official said the revised approach would continue to protect the public’s right to examine the assets and liabilities of those holding political office, while considering a separate mechanism for other groups covered by the law.
A revised version of the amendment is expected to be submitted after incorporating the President’s directives.
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