• President to send recommendation to CC tomorrow?

The Constitutional Council (CC) is yet to be informed of nominations or any other decision pertaining to the vacant position of Inspector General of Police (IGP), with SDIG Nilantha Jayawardana temporarily overseeing administrative matters at Police Headquarters, The Daily Morning learns.

This situation arises following the position being vacant for a week, since former IGP Chandana D. Wickramaratne retired from position, with the end of a three month service extension ended last Monday (26 June). Wickramaratne, who had submitted retirement papers earlier this year, was provided with a three-month service extension by President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

When asked about the vacancy, a member of the CC told The Daily Morning that the President had not referred any nominations of senior Police officials to be appointed as the IGP thus far, nor had he informed the CC of any other decision pertaining to the matter such as on the granting of another service extension to Wickramaratne.

The Daily Morning also contacted the Director of the President's Media Division, Dhanushka Ramanayake yesterday (July 2), and asked him as to whether there was any preparation for the President to submit to the CC nomination for the post of the IGP, and he said that he was not aware of such an impending communication.

Speaking to The Daily Morning on the matter, Police Media Spokesman, Senior Superintendent of Police and Attorney Nihal Thalduwa said that SDIG-Administration Jayawardana is overseeing the administrative matters pertaining to the Police in the absence of the IGP.

Meanwhile, there were reports claiming that President Wickremesinghe is scheduled to refer nominations of four senior Police officials, one of whom will be appointed as the IGP, to the CC tomorrow (4).

In April, 2019, Wickramaratne was appointed as the acting IGP, and was confirmed on the position on 25 November 2020. He was scheduled to retire in March, 2023, and was granted a three-month service extension by the President, which ended on 26 June.