More than Rs. 30 million had been spent in 2020 and 2021 for the formulation of a draft constitution which is yet to materialise, ‘Lankadeepa’ reports quoting an audit report.
Given a six-month mandate, the work remains unfinished even after 15 months.
A committee tasked with formulating a new constitution first met in October 2020, and held 38 meetings subsequently.
Together with those meetings and discussions with the stakeholders had cost nearly Rs. 20 million.
Another Rs. 1.25 million had gone to pay rent for three office-rooms never used and the equipment.
Members were paid Rs. 3.1 million for their attendance, another Rs. 120,000 as travelling allowances, Rs. 1.2 million as the committee secretary’s payments, Rs. 600,000 as coordinating fees, Rs. while 2.56 million for research assistance had been paid, all by end 2021.
Ex-president Gotabaya Rajapaksa appointed the committee headed by president’s counsel Romesh de Silva.
Meanwhile, the Justice Ministry said de Silva handed over the draft constitution to minister Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe on July 04.
