20 Sri Lankan MPs fail to submit asset declarations

At least 20 Members of Parliament in Sri Lanka haven’t submitted their asset and liability statements, according to sources.

In response, the Election Commission has asked parliamentary leaders to remind these MPs again.

All 169 MPs must submit their statements to the Speaker by June 30 each year. The Bribery and Corruption Allegations Investigation Commission is watching closely as these 20 MPs have yet to fulfill their duties.

Under the new Act on Declaration of Assets and Liabilities, MPs who don’t submit their declarations by August 31 could face up to a year in prison, a fine equal to twelve months’ wages, or both.

The rules for these declarations go beyond the original requirements set out in the Assets and Liabilities Declaration Act of 1975, which was updated in 1988.

Section 80 of the Anti-Corruption Act of 2023 also adds more officials and individuals who must submit these declarations.