The Supreme Court has set a date for the hearing of a fundamental rights petition seeking annulment of the promotion of Bimshani Jasin Arachchi, Sri Lanka’s first female Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG).
The petition was taken up before a panel of judges comprising of Justices Murdu Fernando, Shiran Gunaratne, and Achala Vengappuli today (16).
The petition was filed by 32 Senior Superintendents of Police (SSP), including SSP Ruwan Gunasekera, seeking a ruling that the promotion was made in violation of the standard promotion procedure.
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), the National Police Commission, the Attorney General, and the recently appointed female DIG of Police Bimshani Jasin Arachchi have been named as respondents.
The petition states that the respondents had promoted Bimshani Jasin Arachchi as the first female DIG in the country.
The petition claims that no female police officer in the country can be appointed as the DIG of Police as the word ‘women’ is not mentioned in the regulations pertaining to promotions.
Therefore, the petition seeks a ruling that the promotion violates their fundamental rights guaranteed by the Constitution and that the illegal promotion be revoked.
President’s Counsel Sanjeewa Jayawardena, representing the petitioners, stated that he seeks an interim injunction restraining the promotion of the respondent female DIG.
Attorney-at-Law Krishmal Warnasuriya, appearing on behalf of the DIG, stated that while the first petitioner in the case was the head of the Police Legal Division, he had not yet received the relevant documents regarding the case.
Accordingly, Attorney-at-Law Warnasuriya requested the court for time to file the relevant objections.
The Supreme Court granted the request and directed the respondent to file objections to the injunction within three weeks from today.
The court further directed the petitioner to take steps to file counter-objections to the objections within a week from submission.
Subsequently, the hearing of the petition was scheduled for May 18.
