ECONOMYNEXT – Sri Lanka’s police chief Deshabandu Tennakoon remains in office, as there are no legal provisions for President Ranil Wickremesinghe to make an acting appointment, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardana said.
He also asked the speaker to intervene to invalidate the order.
The Supreme Court gave an order suspending him from his office and suggesting that an acting appointment be made.
Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardana said there were no legal provisions to do so.
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An election had been declared and there the next court hearing is in November after the elections he said.
The position of police chief is not vacant, he said.
The order has not explained any legal background, he said.
Prime Minister Gunawardana also maintained that the Constitutional Council which approved the original appointment, was an extension of the parliament as the legislature.
The parliament could not therefore accept a order that was not founded on a legal basis and appeared to be illegal he said.
Gunawardana said he was reminding the speaker to intevene in the matter and invalidate the interim order.
President Ranil Wickremesinghe had earlier said that the CC was part of the judiciary, but G L Pieris, legislator and former professor, said it was part of the ‘legislative system’.
Opposition legislator Rauff Hakeem various interpretations were being given at different times.
He called on the speaker not be part of it, and lead to a ‘dangerous confrontation’ with the judiciary.
Education Minister Susil Premajayantha, said the court order said an interim appoint ‘may’ be made and not ‘shall’.
Speaker Mahinda Abeywardene said a process had to be followed to remove of persons appointed according to 41 (c) of the constitution. (Colombo/July26/2024)