The CC members said a request from the Auditor General’s Department had been submitted and included in the agenda of the Constitutional Council’s last meeting at the Parliament complex on July 07. The CC met with Speaker Karu Jayasuriya presiding.

The request sought approval of CC to grant a special salary increment to Wijesinghe, who had joined the public service leaving the private sector.

Council members opposed a pay hike to the Auditor General. They pointed out that though the Council had a mandate to make appointments to top posts including the Auditor General it had no powers to increase their salaries and such requests should be forwarded to the Ministry of Finance. Wijesinghe is entitled to a salary and other benefits equal to a permanent secretary to a ministry, the CC members said.

The CC members were of the view that joining the public service from the private sector should not be a criterion for increasing the salaries of public servants as it would lead to serious salary anomalies in the pubic service.

Those who accepted top government posts including the Auditor General and Attorney General had done so knowing the salaries they would draw in those posts and it was not reasonable for them to seek increments thereafter, the CC members said.

(By Saman Indrajith - island.lk)