Speaker of House Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne today (22) endorsed the certificate on the National Audit (Amendment) Bill.
The National Audit (Amendment) Bill was presented to Parliament on July 8, 2025 and was passed in Parliament with amendments on July 11, 2025. The National Audit (Amendment) Bill was presented to amend the National Audit Act, No. 19 of 2018.
Accordingly, the main objective of these amendments are to provide provisions for the establishment of a Surcharge Review Committee including its composition, time limits, and procedures, for the purpose of making decisions regarding the imposition of surcharges recommended by the Auditor General, the Department of Communication of Parliament stated.
Furthermore, empowering the Auditor General to lodge complaints with law enforcement institutions regarding fraud or corruption, and extending the time period for submitting the Annual Detailed Management Audit Report from five months to six months, are among the key changes in the new Bill.
Additionally, the amendments also make provisions to substantially increase the punishments for persons committing offences under Sections 42 and 43 of the principal enactment.
Accordingly, the National Audit (Amendment) Bill comes into effect as the National Audit (Amendment) Act, No. 19 of 2025.
