Energy Minister and Secretary resign - New Secretary appointed

In light of the controversial situation that has arisen regarding the coal import process, Minister of Power Kumara Jayakody and Professor Udayanga Hemapala, Secretary to the Ministry, resigned from their posts this afternoon (April 17, 2026). Mr. G.M.R.D. Aponsu, a senior officer of the Sri Lanka Planning Service, has been immediately appointed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to the vacant post of Ministry Secretary.

Handing over their resignation letters to the President, they stated that they voluntarily took this decision to allow the Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry, appointed today to investigate coal procurement, to conduct its work without any influence, independently and transparently.

Amidst strong criticism from the opposition regarding the import of substandard coal, a no-confidence motion was also brought against the minister last week, which was defeated by a majority vote in Parliament. However, it is reported that the President was continuously informed by the Pelawatta party headquarters that the minister's continued stay in office would be a significant political disadvantage for the Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna. Concurrently, the Presidential Secretary has also lodged a complaint with the Criminal Investigation Department, requesting a formal criminal investigation into all coal imports made from 2009 to date.

A special media briefing was convened at the Government Information Department to clarify matters regarding this issue, where Minister Vijitha Herath emphasized that the minister was not directly involved in any financial fraud. He pointed out that coal imports were made in accordance with international laboratory reports and proper procurement guidelines, and that no evidence linking the minister to corruption was revealed during COPE committee investigations or audit reports. However, he further stated that the government openly and humbly admits that there is some deficiency in the quality of the imported coal, which has affected the electricity generation capacity.

Since the Norochcholai power plant commenced operations, approximately 465 coal shipments have been brought into the country on 41 occasions, and it has been confirmed even in Parliament that serious irregularities occurred in many of these instances. Therefore, the government's objective is to subject this entire process to a comprehensive investigation. For this purpose, a commission has been appointed under the Special Presidential Commissions of Inquiry Act No. 04 of 1978, chaired by Supreme Court Justice Gihan Kulatunga, with Court of Appeal Justice Aditya Patabendi and High Court Justice Sanjeewa as its other members, and Mr. P.B. Bandulasena serving as its Secretary. The commission is expected to conclude its investigations and submit its report within a short period of six months, which was also open to the public, and the President is scheduled to make a new appointment to the vacant post of Minister of Power in the future.

Mr. G.M.R.D. Aponsu, who was appointed as the new Secretary to the Ministry of Power, received his letter of appointment from President's Secretary Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayaka at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon. He previously served as the President's Senior Additional Secretary for Finance and Economic Affairs. Holding a Special Degree in Physics from the University of Ruhuna, and postgraduate degrees from the Universities of Colombo and Australian National University, as well as from the IDEAS Institute in Japan, he possesses extensive experience in national planning, tax policy, and public financial management. Mr. Aponsu, who has work experience in several key state institutions including the Department of National Planning, the Department of National Budget, and the Department of Inland Revenue, has also served as an external lecturer at the University of Ruhuna, the Sri Lanka Institute of Development Administration (SLIDA), and the Institute of Human Resource Advancement (IHRA) at the University of Colombo.