"The present course of action followed by the President’s office does not build confidence either in the President, his government or the Commission itself," Transparency International Sri Lanka said.
The sudden removal of the director general of the commission, Piyasena Ranasinghe, and his transfer to the presidential secretariat had already created an "irreversible bad precedent."
Transparency International (TI) said Ranasinghe's removal came after he objected to the sudden transfer of a police officer in charge of the commission's asset division without any consultation with the commission.
Ranasinghe was removed after he refused a request to resign made by the president's secretary, TI said.
It said neither President Rajapakse nor the government had given any reason for the dismissal and that the pu