Australian authorities have declined to release citizenship information about Finance Ministry Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma following a public interest request, intensifying scrutiny around his eligibility to serve in Parliament amid an investigation into missing USD 2.5 million from state coffers.
Australia's Department of Home Affairs has declined to provide citizenship details regarding Finance Ministry Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma, according to The Island. Public interest activist Nagananda Kodituwakku submitted a formal request under Australia's Freedom of Information Act in April seeking clarification on the official's citizenship status. The department initially indicated it would review the request but subsequently refused to comply.
Kodituwakku, leader of the Vinivida Foundation, has suggested that Australia's refusal to confirm or deny Suriyapperuma's citizenship raises constitutional questions about his parliamentary eligibility. He noted that the department could have simply stated whether Suriyapperuma held Australian citizenship if that were not the case. The activist has indicated his intention to pursue legal action against Suriyapperuma for allegedly entering Parliament through the NPP National List in violation of Article 91(1)(d)(xiii) of Sri Lanka's Constitution, which restricts those holding foreign citizenship from serving as legislators.
Suriyapperuma's tenure as Deputy Minister of Finance and Planning, which lasted from November 2024 to June 2025, has become the subject of intense scrutiny following the disclosure of USD 2.5 million missing from the Treasury. The funds, which represented an instalment of a loan obtained from Australia, were allegedly diverted to a third party. Kodituwakku has characterized the matter as an accountability and integrity issue that violates both Sri Lankan constitutional provisions and Commonwealth law.
The case parallels previous parliamentary citizenship controversies in Sri Lanka. Members Geetha Kumarasinghe and Diana Gamage forfeited their parliamentary seats in 2017 and 2024 respectively over citizenship-related issues, establishing precedent for enforcement of constitutional restrictions on dual citizens serving in the legislature.
