SC to hear petitions filed challenging Deshabandu’s appointment as IGP

The Supreme Court today (28) ordered that the petitions filed, seeking a ruling that the appointment of Deshabandu Tennakoon as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) allegedly without the formal approval of the Constitutional Council is unconstitutional, will be taken up for hearing on 8 September, Ada Derana reporter said. 

The petitions were taken up today before the Supreme Court bench consisting of Justices Janak De Silva, Sobitha Rajakaruna, and Sampath K. B. Wijeratne. 

During the proceedings, the bench ordered that the petitions be heard on 8 September.

The appointment of Deshabandu Tennakoon as the Inspector General of Police is being challenged by various parties, including Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith and the Young Journalists’ Association, who have filed petitions.

The petitioners argue that although Deshabandu Tennakoon, who had previously served as the Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Western Province, was nominated as the IGP, the nomination was not approved by a majority vote in the Constitutional Council. Therefore, they contend that the decision made by then President Ranil Wickremesinghe to appoint him as the IGP is unconstitutional.

Furthermore, the petitioners are seeking the Supreme Court to rule that the decision violates their fundamental rights and that the appointment of Tennakoon as IGP should be declared void.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has issued an interim injunction preventing Deshabandu Tennakoon from exercising the powers and duties of the position of IGP. The order will remain in effect until the conclusion of the hearing of the petition.