Pujith’s term ends; way clear to appoint new IGP

The term of Police Chief Pujith Jayasundara who was under interdiction over the failure to take steps to prevent the Easter Sunday bombings ended yesterday, paving the way for the the appointment of a new Inspector General.

Accordingly, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa will now be empowered to nominate candidates for the post and the Constitutional Council will recommend one of the nominees.

Among the three most senior officers are the current Acting Police Chief C.D. Wickremaratna, Senior Deputy Inspectors General J. Abeysirigunawardena and Nandana Munasinghe.

Though the current Constitutional Council is operational despite the dissolution of Parliament, the President also could delay the nominations until the new Constitutional Council is appointed after the April 25 Parliamentary elections, sources said.

Mr. Jayasundara was appointed as the IGP on April 2016 and served in the post until his interdiction which came after he turned down a request from former President Maithripala Sirisena to step down following the Easter Sunday attacks on April 21 last year. The retiring IGP will be entitled to his pension and also a duty-free vehicle.

(Source: The Sunday Times)