Ministry will make final decision on recipients ineligible for flats: ACC

The Anti Corruption Commission (ACC) has said today that despite its investigations revealing that 59.6 percent of applications on the Gedhoruveriya flat recipients list do not meet the criteria to be eligible for flats, it is the Ministry of Housing, Land and Urban Infrastructure that will make a final decision on what action will be taken on the matter.

Speaking at the commission's press conference today, ACC President Adam Shamil said that deciding on action to be taken in the case of persons who submitted false information is outside the commission's mandate.

Shamil said that the commission had shared its findings in full with the Ministry and that taking a decision on the next course of action is up to the Ministry.

- Many applicants who are ineligible were included on the list of 4000 recipients

- Conflicting information on the forms

- Points given wrongfully to the special needs section

- Submission of new documentation during the complaint window

- Extra points being awarded unduly

- Rights of many individuals have been infringed upon

ACC revealed that it had investigated 4,048 forms. Findings of their investigations indicate that 59.6 percent of these forms do not meet the necessary criteria to be eligible for flats. This amounts to approximately 2,400 flats.

They further revealed that forms that met the criteria, and did not have any further issues, amounted to 20.7 percent of the sample. Forms that do meet the criteria, but have other issues total 19.7 percent. This is equivalent of approximately 1,600 flats.