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Kumara Jayakody

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Hon.
Kumara Jayakody
MP
කුමාර ජයකොඩි
குமார ஜயகொடி
Minister of Energy
In office
18 November 2024 – 17 April 2026
PresidentAnura Kumara Dissanayake
Prime MinisterHarini Amarasuriya
Preceded byAnura Kumara Dissanayake
Succeeded byAnura Karunathilake
Member of Parliament
for National List
Incumbent
Assumed office
21 November 2024
Personal details
BornPunya Sri Kumara Jayakody
(1967-03-26) 26 March 1967 (age 59)
PartyNational People's Power
ProfessionEngineer

Punya Sri Kumara Jayakody (born 26 March 1967)[1] is a Sri Lankan politician and an engineer, who served as the Minister of Energy of the Government of Sri Lanka from 18 November 2024 to 17 April 2026.[2][3][4] He is a member of the Parliament of Sri Lanka from National list since 21 November 2024 as a member of the National People's Power.[5] He is a member of the National People's Power (NPP), and also a national executive committee member of NPP.[6]

Career

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Jayakody graduated from the University of Peradeniya with a degree in Engineering.[7][8] He worked in the Ceylon Fertilizer Company. Having served as a national executive member of the NPP, he was appointed following the general election victory of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's leftist coalition. Jayakody entered Parliament via the National List on 21 November 2024, representing the National People's Power (NPP). He was thereafter appointed by President Dissanayake as Minister of Energy.[9]

On 17 April 2026, Jayakody resigned from his ministerial position to facilitate an impartial and independent inquiry into controversial coal imports.[10][11]

Controversies

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Influencing government procurement process

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On 27 March 2026, Jayakody was served with indictments before the Colombo High Court in connection with allegations of corruption that caused a loss of Rs. 8,859,708 (approximately US$28,218) to the government in 2016.[12] The charges were filed by the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), alleging that in 2016, while serving as manager of the Procurement and Import Division of the Ceylon Fertilizer Company, he committed an offence of corruption by influencing a procurement process.[13]

Coal procurement

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Jayakody was associated with the controversy surrounding coal procurement for power generation in Sri Lanka for the 2025–2026 season. Concerns have been raised about the tendering process, pricing and the quality of coal imports supplied to the Lakvijaya Power Station. Opposition politicians, critics and industry stakeholders have alleged irregularities and a lack of transparency in the procurement process.[14][15] In response, Jayakody and the government maintained that proper procedures had been followed and that the procurement process complied with relevant regulations.[16]

A special audit report released on 2 April 2026 by the National Audit Office stated that multiple irregularities occurred during the procurement process.[17][18] On 7 April 2026, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake stated in an address to Parliament that coal procured in the recent past was of inferior quality, affecting power generation output and increasing energy costs.[19] International Monetary Fund mission chief for Sri Lanka, Evan Papageorgiou, also commented on this situation at an event in Colombo on 9 April 2026.[20]

A motion of no confidence was presented by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya against Jayakody on 19 March 2026.[21] The motion was debated on 10 April 2026 and was defeated by a majority of 104 votes, with 153 members voting against and 43 in favour.[22]

References

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  1. ↑ "Hon. Kumara Jayakody, M.P." Parliament of Sri Lanka. 2026. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  2. ↑ "Kumara Jayakody appointed as Energy Minister - Breaking News | Daily Mirror". www.dailymirror.lk. 18 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  3. ↑ "NPP announces 18 member Nat'l List". Latest in the News Sphere. 18 November 2024. Retrieved 18 November 2024.
  4. ↑ "List of candidates and preferential votes in Sri Lanka 2024 election". economynext.com. 15 November 2024. Archived from the original on 1 December 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  5. ↑ "The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka - Extraordinary - No. 2410/08" (PDF). Department of Government Printing. Election Commission of Sri Lanka. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  6. ↑ "What is jathika Jana Balawegaya NPP Sri Lanka | Who are the members". www.npp.lk. Retrieved 17 November 2024.
  7. ↑ "Energy Minister shows his degree certificate". Newswire. 16 December 2024. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  8. ↑ "NPP announces A National list With Professionals". lankasara.lk. 15 November 2024. Archived from the original on 3 December 2024. Retrieved 16 November 2024.
  9. ↑ "Academics, professionals receive slots in newly elected Cabinet". www.dailymirror.lk. Retrieved 20 April 2026.
  10. ↑ "Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody and Ministry Secretary resign from posts". Ada Derana. 17 April 2026. Archived from the original on 17 April 2026. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  11. ↑ "Sri Lanka's Energy Minister resigns on coal import issue days after surviving no trust motion". The Hindu. 17 April 2026. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 17 April 2026. Retrieved 17 April 2026.
  12. ↑ "Indictments served on Energy Minister Kumara Jayakody, granted bail". Ada Derana. 27 March 2026. Archived from the original on 27 March 2026. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  13. ↑ "Energy Minister Jayakody granted bail after indictment". Daily Mirror. 27 March 2026. Archived from the original on 27 March 2026. Retrieved 27 March 2026.
  14. ↑ "Failed tests and confidential documents: Heat over South African coal". The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. 15 February 2026. Archived from the original on 10 April 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  15. ↑ "Coal procurement scam losses could reach Rs 100 billion: Opposition". Daily Mirror. 10 April 2026. Archived from the original on 10 April 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  16. ↑ "The coal may not be perfect but the procurement is, says Govt". The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. 5 April 2026. Archived from the original on 10 April 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  17. ↑ "Audit reveals irregularities in coal procurement for Lakvijaya Power Plant". Ada Derana. 7 April 2026. Archived from the original on 8 April 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  18. ↑ "Special Audit Report on the Coal Purchase Process by Lanka Coal Company for the Lakvijaya Power Plant and the Coal Procurement for the Season of 2025/2026" (PDF). National Audit Office. 2 April 2026. Archived (PDF) from the original on 10 April 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  19. ↑ "President admits purchase of inferior quality coal". Daily Mirror. 8 April 2026. Archived from the original on 10 April 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  20. ↑ "Coal import losses one factor behind electricity tariff hike: IMF mission chief". Hiru News. 10 April 2026. Archived from the original on 10 April 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  21. ↑ "No-confidence motion against Kumara Jayakody and NPP's double standards". Daily FT. 10 April 2026. Archived from the original on 10 April 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
  22. ↑ "No-confidence motion against Energy Minister defeated in Parliament". Ada Derana. 10 April 2026. Archived from the original on 10 April 2026. Retrieved 10 April 2026.
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