By Ruwan Weerakoon
(Lanka-e-News -31 Oct 2026,11.30 P.M.) The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption has been hit with a high-profile petition demanding an independent probe into a controversial land transaction executed during former President Mahinda Rajapaksa’s administration.
Brought forward by the "Purawasi Balaya" (Citizens' Power Against Bribery, Corruption, and Waste) organization, the complaint targets the rapid, multi-billion rupee sale of prime Galle Face property—now home to the Shangri-La and One Galle Face complexes
.
At the center of the petition is an extraordinary timeline that bypassed normal regulatory checks. According to documents signed by Purawasi Balaya President Jamuni Kamantha Thushara:
December 27, 2010: The official survey plan for the initial land parcel was completed.
December 28, 2010: The transaction deed was drafted.
December 29, 2010: The registration process was entirely finalized.
Completing the alienation of a massive state asset in just three days, the complainants argue, is a clear violation of standard legal mandates under the State Lands Ordinance.
The petition outlines how approximately 10 acres and 11 perches of prime commercial land in the heart of Colombo were transferred under Section 23(2) of Chapter 454 of the State Lands Ordinance:
The First Parcel: On December 29, 2010, then-Presidential Secretary Lalith Weeratunga transferred a 2.4361-hectare plot (Lot No. 01, Plan No. 9132) to Shangri-La Hotels Lanka (Private) Limited for USD 75 million (equivalent to Rs. 8,250 million at the time).
The Second Parcel: On March 15, 2011, an additional 1.6108-hectare plot (Lot No. 2) from the same plan was sold to the same entity for Rs. 5,499 million. In total, the entire prime land tract was handed over for Rs. 13,749 million.
The filing highlights critical administrative and legal gaps that investigators are being urged to unpack:
Cabinet Sanction: Was formal Cabinet approval sought and secured before alienating state property of this scale?
Valuation Integrity: Was a transparent and realistic property valuation conducted to match true commercial land value in downtown Colombo?
Absence of Competitive Bidding: By omitting public auctions or open requests for bids, did authorities abuse the executive discretion vested in the presidency regarding state lands?
Urging the Anti-Corruption Commission to take firm action, the Purawasi Balaya organization demands that legal proceedings be initiated against all individuals implicated if the transaction is verified as corrupt. Furthermore, the petition strongly stresses the need to initiate steps to reacquire the transferred lands back into government hands.
---------------------------
by (2026-10-31 18:45:51)
Read 2454 Times
Leave a Reply
0 discussion on this news