By Ilankai Tamil Arasu Katchchi (ITAK) front liner and Jaffna District parliamentarian M.A. Sumanthiran had words of advice for Ranil Wickremesinghe when he visited the Presidential Secretariat on Thursday for a private meeting with the President.
Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena had indicated that he was not willing to discuss the matter with Chief Justice Jayanatha Jayasuriya. The Speaker has been accused of misinterpreting the vote of the Constitutional Council and being instrumental in appointing Deshabandu Tennakoon, who has been convicted of human rights violations.
Ranils’ Excuse
President’s Counsel Sumanthiran, regarded as an expert in constitutional law, proposed a solution to the matter. President Wickremesinghe explained that he was unable to implement the Supreme Court’s order to appoint an acting IGP until the hearings were concluded in the case against incumbent Police Chief Deshabandu Tennakoon. The President said that if he were to implement the court decision, he might face legal challenges in the form of election violation petitions since he is also a candidate in the upcoming presidential election.
This explanation didn’t convince many because Wickremesinghe rushed to place his deposit as soon as he heard the Supreme Court ruling. There was nothing preventing him from making an acting arrangement for the post of IGP and then making his deposit and announcing his decision to contest for President.
Mr. Sumanthiran explained that as the constitutional appointing authority, the President is duty-bound to make the appointment, citing instances of the IGP post becoming vacant due to a voluntary resignation or sudden death of an IGP.
If the President believes that he might face legal consequences if he appoints a new IGP, Sumanthiran PC suggested that the President could convene a meeting of political party leaders represented in Parliament and request them to nominate persons, whose names could then be forwarded for approval to the Constitutional Council.
By adopting this mechanism, the President can avoid being subjected to legal challenges of election violations, Sumanthiran advised. President Wickremesinghe, who listened carefully, said he would look into that aspect as well, reported the Sunday Times.
It remains to be seen if Wickremesinghe will take Sumanthiran’s advice or not.
Civil Society
Meanwhile, the SJB and civil society activists are planning to exert more pressure on Wickremesinghe in the coming week if he fails to make an acting IGP appointment.
The People’s Action for Free & Fair Elections (PAFFREL) urged the President of Sri Lanka to resolve problems concerning the post of Inspector General of Police and ensure the people’s right to vote.
In a letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe on August 1, 2024, PAFFREL stated, “The Acting Inspector General of Police has not been appointed following the interim order issued by the Supreme Court restraining the police chief from functioning as the Inspector General of Police.”
PAFFREL said this raised a “state of uncertainty regarding the functioning of democracy and the conduct of elections,” which they deem “detrimental to the dignity of the state, the citizens, and (himself) as the head of state.”
