Committee Proposal to Remove Deshabandu Heads to Parliament

COLOMBO (News 1st);  Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne informed party leaders today (2) that a proposal to appoint a committee for the removal of Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon, who is currently in remand custody, will be presented to Parliament on the 8th of this month.

The Speaker made this announcement during the Parliamentary Oversight Committee meeting held this morning.

The proposal to remove IGP Tennakoon from his position was submitted to the Speaker recently, bearing the signatures of 115 Members of Parliament.

The Proposal:

A proposal moved by 115 MPs from the ruling party seeking the removal of Deshabandu Tennakoon was done in accordance with the provisions of Section 5 of the Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act No. 5 of 2002.

The Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act No. 5 of 2002 outlines the provisions for the removal of the Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police.

According to the Act, these officials can be removed on grounds of misconduct, corruption, gross abuse of power, gross neglect of duty, and gross partiality, among other serious charges.

As per the provisions of the act, a proposal to remove the Inspector General of Police (IGP) has been submitted, containing 27 charges, including misuse of power, severe neglect of duty, and partiality.

Notable incidents leading to these charges include the shooting at the W15 Hotel in Weligama on December 31, 2023, and the death of an officer from the Colombo Crime Division.

Additionally, the assault at the Aragalaya protest site on May 9, 2022, is also cited.

The proposal highlights the IGP's failure to comply with court orders and evasion of arrest warrants related to the Weligama shooting incident.

Under the Act, if a proposal signed by more than one-third of the total number of Members of Parliament is submitted, the Speaker is authorized to accept it.

To initiate the formation of an investigative committee and the removal of the Inspector General of Police, a proposal must be submitted to the President. This proposal requires the approval of a majority of the total number of Members of Parliament, including those not present.

A committee can then be appointed to investigate the charges and recommend the removal of the IGP.

The committee must include a Supreme Court judge appointed by the Chief Justice, the Chairman of the National Police Commission, and an individual with distinguished expertise in law or public administration, appointed by the Speaker with the agreement of the Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition.

Supreme Court judge appointed by the Chief Justice shall Chair the committee.

If the committee finds the IGP guilty of the charges, the Speaker can include the removal proposal in the parliamentary agenda.

The proposal must be approved by a majority of the total number of Members of Parliament, including those not present. Once approved, the President is required to promptly remove the individual from office.