• Handunnetti cites ‘inadequate protection’ due to ‘weakened overall public security’ 

The Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP)-led National People's Power (NPP) of the Parliamentary Opposition stated that while they have not made a special request for special security arrangements, the overall security of the people, including of their leader, Parliamentarian and presidential candidate Anura Kumara Dissanayake, has significantly decreased, leaving everyone with inadequate protection.

Following the recent assassination attempt on former United States President and incumbent Republican Presidential contender Donald Trump, the main Parliamentary Opposition Party, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), had urged the Government to provide SJB and Opposition Leader and Presidential candidate Sajith Premadasa with enhanced security. SJB General Secretary and Opposition MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara, on an earlier occasion, mentioned that they recently discussed the need to provide Premadasa with enhanced security with the Department of Police. The Police had, during the discussion, informed them that an assessment needs to be conducted on security threats to Premadasa, adding that necessary action to enhance security could be taken once the relevant assessment report is received.

When questioned by The Daily Morning as to whether the NPP would seek special security arrangements for Dissanayake in view of the Presidential Election, the NPP's Executive Committee Member Sunil Handunnetti stated that they would not make such a request. "With weakened security for the people, how can we ask for tightened security? We don't need it. However, if the people have weakened security, it means that all of us, including Dissanayake, have the same level of security," he explained.

Meanwhile, following the declaration of the Presidential Election by the Election Commission (EC) on 26 July, the State Minister of Defence Premitha Bandara Tennakoon had instructed the security chiefs to take measures to ensure the security for the presidential candidates, citizens and the entire country during the relevant period.

President and Defence Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe had earlier appointed a committee including the Ministry of Public Security Secretary (committee chair), the Inspector General of Police, the Chief of Defence Staff, the Chief of National Intelligence and the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) responsible for elections, and tasked them with evaluating the security needs of the candidates and establishing a security protocol. A DIG is to oversee all security arrangements, working closely with the EC in this regard.

Public Security Minister Tiran Alles and Acting Police Media Spokesperson and incumbent Senior Superintendent of Police, attorney Ruwan Gunasekera were not available for comment.