Supreme Court Sets Hearing on Controversial IGP Appointment in Sri Lanka

The Supreme Court has scheduled April 2 to hear seven petitions challenging the appointment of Deshabandu Thennakoon as both the Acting Inspector General of Police (IGP) and the IGP. It was disclosed in court that the parties have not yet received the minutes from the Constitutional Council’s decision to name Deshabandu Tennakoon as the new IGP.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has voiced concerns that the Constitutional Council (CC) did not endorse Deshabandu Tennakoon’s appointment as the new IGP, asserting a blatant violation of the country’s Constitution for the second time. On ‘X’, previously Twitter, he noted that in the Constitutional Council meeting, four members supported Tennakoon’s appointment as IGP, two opposed, and two abstained.

Premadasa emphasized that a minimum of five votes is needed for approval and that the Speaker only has a decisive vote in the event of a tie, indicating that a 4/2 vote does not constitute a tie. He accused the Speaker of violating the Constitution, expressing dismay through a tweet: “4/2 is not a tie! Constitution is being blatantly violated for the second time. Shame on you speaker!”

The President’s Media Division confirmed that Senior DIG and Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon was officially appointed as the 36th IGP of Sri Lanka on Monday (26). According to the President’s Media Division, this appointment adheres to the requirements of Articles 41C.(1) and 61E.(b) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, following the powers granted to President Ranil Wickremesinghe.