Cabinet Spokesperson Nalinda Jayatissa has officially refuted claims suggesting that Finance Ministry Secretary Harshana Suriyapperuma holds dual citizenship.

Responding to queries during a press briefing, Jayatissa clarified that Suriyapperuma was not a dual citizen at the time he was elected to Parliament via the National List in 2024, nor during his subsequent appointment as the Secretary to the Ministry of Finance. The spokesperson emphasised that all necessary legal requirements and background checks regarding citizenship were adhered to during these appointments.

Suriyapperuma, a former Member of Parliament and Deputy Minister of Finance, resigned from his parliamentary seat in June 2025 to take up his current role as the Secretary to the Treasury and the Ministry of Finance.

The government maintains that the allegations are baseless and that the Secretary remains fully compliant with the constitutional provisions governing public office in Sri Lanka.