The NGO Secretariat which was previously operated under the Social Services Ministry and thereafter the Internal Affairs Ministry now comes under the purview of the Defence Ministry.

“The NGO Secretariat is now under the Ministry of Defence, and the Defence Ministry will be working with them,” Director Media Centre for National Security Lakshman Hullugalle said. He said that this was by no means a measure taken to monitor NGOs but a simple change in administration.

Earlier the Passport office, the Immigration and Emigration Department and the NGO Secretariat were under the purview of the Ministry of Internal Affairs headed by the then Prime Minister Ratnasiri Wickremanayaka.