The Sri Lanka Press Association, along with a coalition of prominent media organizations, has issued an urgent appeal to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, calling for immediate intervention to address critical issues undermining the institutional integrity of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission.
In a letter dated 18 June 2025, the Sri Lanka Press Association — in collaboration with the Editors’ Guild of Sri Lanka, the Free Media Movement, the Sri Lanka Professional Journalists Association, and affiliated bodies such as the Sri Lanka Muslim Media Forum, the Tamil Media Alliance, the Media Trade Union Employees’ Federation, and the South Asian Media Alliance — underscored the need for swift and decisive action.
The letter emphasizes that the Right to Information Act No. 12 of 2016 is one of the most vital legislative tools for fostering transparency, accountability, and democratic governance in Sri Lanka. A robust and fully functional RTI Commission, the organizations argue, is crucial for upholding the public’s right to information — a right that serves to expose corruption, strengthen community life, and combat social injustice.
The media organizations raised several serious concerns, starting with the prolonged vacancy of the Commission’s Chairperson. The position has remained unfilled since the previous Chairperson’s resignation on 4 March 2025. This leadership void has severely compromised the Commission’s ability to function effectively and to make timely, independent decisions.
Compounding this issue is the government’s continued delay in approving the recruitment of essential legal personnel. Despite repeated appeals made by the Commission to the Presidential Secretariat and other relevant authorities since early 2024, the Commission currently manages its substantial appellate workload with only a single legal officer.
The letter argues that this delay effectively undermines key provisions of the RTI Act, particularly Section 13, which grants the Commission the authority to recruit staff directly in consultation with the Minister of Finance, independent of any other ministry’s involvement. Furthermore, Section 16, which mandates the Commission to operate an independent fund and requires the release of budgeted allocations, has been weakened due to the Commission not being granted a separate line item in the national budget.
As a result, the Commission’s ability to build and maintain a competent human resource structure has been severely restricted. Nine years after its establishment, the RTI Commission is now facing deep institutional dysfunction.
The media bodies stress that these issues, taken collectively, threaten the core objectives of the RTI Act and obstruct the public’s access to timely and accurate information.
They urge President Dissanayake to take immediate steps to resolve the situation, beginning with the appointment of a qualified Chairperson to restore leadership at the Commission. Additionally, they call for the full implementation of Sections 13 and 16 of the RTI Act to facilitate the recruitment of necessary personnel and ensure the Commission’s financial and operational autonomy.
Media Groups Urge President to Restore RTI Commission’s Integrity Amid Leadership and Staffing Crisis
“Strengthening the RTI Commission is not merely an administrative task — it is a pivotal step toward realizing your pledge to uphold good governance, enhance transparency, and deepen democratic values in Sri Lanka,” the letter concludes. The signatories believe that the President’s decisive action in this matter would demonstrate a genuine commitment to empowering citizens and building an open, accountable government.
