FRs against Deshabandu’s IGP appointment to be taken up on 24 Feb.

Tuesday, 12 November 2024 02:46 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The Supreme Court has scheduled a hearing for the fundamental rights petitions filed by nine parties, including Archbishop of Colombo Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith and the Young Journalists’ Association (YJA), challenging the appointment of Deshabandu Thennakoon as Inspector General of Police (IGP). The petitions will be heard on 24 and 25 February 2025.

A three-judge bench, consisting of Justices Yasantha Kodagoda, Achala Wengappuli, and Arjuna Obeyesekere, reviewed the petitions.

During the proceedings, Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, representing the Attorney General, requested additional time to file objections on behalf of the current President, a respondent in the case. The Court granted this request.

Thennakoon’s legal team filed a motion for a full bench hearing, which the petitioners opposed. The three-judge panel referred the matter to the Chief Justice for a final decision.

The petitions argue that Thennakoon’s appointment bypassed crucial checks and balances, with the petitioners claiming that the former President ignored multiple complaints and disciplinary actions against Thennakoon. These include prior judicial findings of guilt in torture cases, and raising concerns in human rights circles.

The petitions also cite the findings of the Presidential Commission on the Easter Sunday attacks, which attributed part of the failure to prevent the tragedy to Thennakoon’s alleged negligence. According to the YJA, these accusations demonstrate Thennakoon’s unsuitability for Sri Lanka’s top police position.

Additionally, the petitioners argue that former President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s proposal of Thennakoon violated Constitutional Council guidelines, claiming that appointing an official with a history of misconduct violates the Establishment Code, which bars individuals with such allegations from promotions, salary increments, or international assignments. The petitions stress that Thennakoon’s appointment as IGP ignored these guidelines, potentially breaching constitutional law.

In response to these concerns, the Supreme Court issued an interim order in late July suspending Thennakoon from his duties as IGP. Following this order, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake appointed Senior DIG Priyantha Weerasooriya as Acting IGP in September.