Prime Minister promises new IGP in next 48 hours

Saturday, 8 July 2023 00:26 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena announced yesterday that an expedited decision regarding the appointment of a new Inspector General of Police (IGP) is expected to be made in the next 48 hours.

The Prime Minister’s statement came in response to a question raised by MP Dullas Alahapperuma during the Parliamentary session yesterday.

Speculation had arisen that the tenure of former IGP C.D. Wickramaratne might be extended for a second time until a decision on the new IGP is reached. However, Prime Minister Gunawardena assured the Parliament that a decision will be made very soon.

The names of several Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIGs) have been nominated for the position, including; Nilantha Jayawardene, Lalith Pathinayake, Deshabandu Tennakoon, Priyantha Weerasooriya, and Ajith Rohana. According to sources, Deshabandu Tennakoon, who is the SDIG in charge of the Western Province, and Nilantha Jayawardena, the SDIG of Administration, have emerged as the frontrunners for the position based on their seniority and their involvement in overseeing a majority of the work within the police department.