The Supreme Court has granted the Auditor General time till the 15th of March to investigate and submit an audit report on several concerns that led to the current economic crisis, including failure to secure International Monetary Fund support at the suitable time.
The order was issued when two fundamental rights petitions were taken up for consideration today (9) calling for legal action to be taken against those responsible for the current economic crisis in the country.
Former President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, former Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa, former Minister of Finance Basil Rajapaksa and several others have been cited as respondents in the two fundamental rights petitions.
In relation to the petitions, the Supreme Court on the 7th of October last year ordered the Auditor General to submit a report by today on the impacts of artificially maintaining the dollar at Rs.203, the delay in obtaining support from the IMF, and making payments of USD 500 million from the country’s foreign reserves for international sovereign bonds on the 18th of January last year.
Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle representing the Auditor General informed Court that more information is required from various state agencies in order to compile the report.
The petitions were filed by renowned Sri Lankan swimmer and coach Julian Bolling, former Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce Chandra Jayaratne and two others.
