Govt. MPs submit motion to Speaker to remove Deshabandu

Wednesday, 26 March 2025 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

The National People’s Power (NPP)-led Government MPs yesterday handed over a resolution calling for the removal of suspended Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon to the Speaker of Parliament.

According to a statement from Parliament’s Communications Department, the resolution was signed by 115 NPP Parliamentarians and was submitted under Section 5 of the Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act No. 5 of 2002.

Deputy Minister of Labour Mahinda Jayasinghe, Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs Eranga Gunasekara and MPs Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathne and U.P. Abeywickrama, Attorney-at-Law were present to handover the resolution to the Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne.

Following the submission, Deputy Minister Jayasinghe speaking to the media expressed confidence that the proposal to form an investigative committee and remove the suspended IGP will secure the necessary Parliamentary majority.

The Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act No. 5 of 2002 outlines the provisions for the removal of the Attorney General and the IGP. According to the Act, these officials can be removed on grounds of misconduct, corruption, gross abuse of power, gross neglect of duty, and gross partiality, among other serious charges.

As per the provisions of the Act, Jayasinghe said the proposal to remove the IGP has been submitted, containing 27 charges, including misuse of power, severe neglect of duty and partiality.

He cited recent incidents leading to these charges include the shooting at the W15 Hotel in Weligama on 31 December 2023 and the death of an officer from the Colombo Crime Division (CCD), as well as IGP’s failure to comply with Matara Magistrate’s Court orders and evasion of arrest warrants related to the Weligama shooting incident.

In addition, he recalled the assault at the Aragalaya protest site on 9 May 2022.

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