Sri Lankan Prime Minister says President cannot appoint acting IGP

Sri Lankan Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena has clarified that the Sri Lankan President currently has no legal provisions to appoint an Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP).

Delivering a special statement in Parliament today (July 26), the Prime Minister stated that the stay order issued by the Supreme Court preventing Deshabandu Tennakoon from functioning as the IGP is illegal.

“Tennekoon still functions as the IGP,” he said. He also mentioned that the court cannot override the approval granted by the Constitutional Council for the current IGP’s appointment.

“We remind the Speaker and Parliament that the order of the Supreme Court suspending the duties of the IGP should be nullified. We request the Speaker to intervene as soon as possible in this regard,” he added.

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court issued an interim order preventing Deshabandu Tennakoon from performing duties as the IGP. This order followed the granting of leave to proceed with nine petitions, filed by several parties including Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, challenging Tennakoon’s appointment.

The Supreme Court also instructed Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe to name a suitable person for the IGP position during the interim order against Deshabandu Tennakoon.