The motion to appoint an investigation committee to remove Inspector General of Police Deshabandhu Tennakoon from the post of IGP was passed by a majority vote in Parliament yesterday (08).
He was appointed by former president Ranil Rajapaksa. Number of citizens filed petitions at the Supreme Court against the appointment. Prof.Savithri Goonasekara, Niroshan Padukka, Dr.Pakiasothy Saravanamuththu, Malcom Cardinal Ranjith, Tharindu Iranga Jayawardana, Hirunika Premachandra, Atham Lebbe Aazath, S.K Priyanga and A.N.S Soysa were among the petitioners.
On 24 July 2024 the Supreme Court issued an interim order restraining Deshabandu Tennakoon from exercising the powers, functions and responsibilities of the office of Inspector General of Police (IGP).
The motion was presented by National People’s Power MP Lakmali Hemachandra and 151 votes were cast in favor of the motion during the vote held there.
It is also noteworthy that no one voted against it.
With the passage of this resolution, a three-member inquiry committee is scheduled to be appointed.
The Chief Justice must appoint a Supreme Court judge as the chairman of the inquiry committee.
The second member is the Chairman of the Police Commission.
The remaining member is appointed with the consent of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.
That member must be a person with expertise in law, administration and management.
The inquiry will be implemented through the relevant committee.
The removal of the Inspector General of Police (Procedure) Act No. 5 of 2002, which includes provisions related to the removal of the Inspector General of Police, will be carried out, said Jayalath Perera, Director of Legislative Services of Parliament, to BBC Sinhala.
Accordingly, the relevant committee will conduct evidence-taking related to the inquiry.
If the investigation committee decides to remove the IGP, the decision will be passed by Parliament and forwarded to the President, after which the President will remove the IGP from office.