• These workers had been recruited on a Cabinet approval and made permanent without due approval

The Committee on Public Enterprises (COPE), the parliamentary watchdog committee, found that 241 employees had been absorbed into the permanent cadre of the Land Reforms Commission (LRC) in 2018 without the approval of the Management Services Department, a statement said.

The Management Services Department which functions under the Finance Ministry is responsible for giving approval for recruitments to the public service.

The parliamentary media unit said in a statement said these workers had been recruited on a Cabinet approval and made permanent without due approval. COPE Chairman MP Dr. Charitha Herath said this would be a bad precedent for other public institutions.