News

Immigration officers challenge President

By Chris Kamalendran

Immigration officers are to file action in the Supreme Court claiming that a Cabinet decision to allow ‘enforcing officers’ to carry out immigration duties at the Bandaranaike International Airport (BIA) amounted to a contempt of court.

The decision came after a Cabinet paper submitted by President Mahinda Rajapaksa, as the Defence Minister, was approved to allow 131 ‘enforcing officers’ who were earlier prevented by a court decision from carrying out duties at the air port to return to service.

Immigration and Emigration Authorized Officers Union Secretary Gonsal Korale said yesterday that in 2007 the Court of Appeal held that only the Controller, Deputy Controllers, Assistant Controllers and Authorized officers were allowed to carry out duties at the ports.

Accordingly ‘enforcing officers’ who were deployed in ports for duty at that time were recalled to the head office. However, the latest Cabinet decision enables 131 enforcing officers to carry out their duties at the airport. They have already been assigned for duties at the BIA from September 1.

Mr. Korale said that permitting ‘enforcing officers’ to carry out Immigration duties was also a violation of the Immigration Act.“The ‘enforcing officers’ were those not recruited in a proper manner and some of them have been taken on political grounds. Therefore, we cannot accept these appointments,” he said. The Immigration officers have already lodged a complaint with the Controller General of Immigration.

Top to the page  |  E-mail  |  views[1]
SocialTwist Tell-a-Friend
 
Other News Articles
Mysterious turn in Matara tax chief assault case
Baby Shivanka, we are all with you
Conflicting claims over new Rs. 5,000
Immigration officers challenge President
Note of caution on economy lifting
Police on alert for demos against 18th Amendment
More mothers, babies die at Anuradhapura hospital
Boy from Galle king of the bat and ball
Night of robberies shakes residential area in Mount
Two in critical condition after monkey incident
Parliament news as ‘tweets’
Watch out, here come the ‘Environmental Police’
After Rao, Indian Army Chief here, more to follow
Broadcasting Authority soon to be a reality
UNP vows to expel members who support Constitutional amendments
Budding dancers end up in brothels
Monitor guardians of children, NCPA tells parents
Veteran SLFP stalwart cremated
Why we rose to the occasion -- Guest Column By Rauff Hakkem
Re-electing the President is not undemocratic
Life without water for 200 villagers
I have no reason to lie: Ariyawathie
Fireworks at Capri Club’s special meeting
Proposed Constitutional changes not in the national interest, says OPA
Jaffna fishermen complain of intrusion by Indians

 

 
Reproduction of articles permitted when used without any alterations to contents and a link to the source page.
© Copyright 2010 | Wijeya Newspapers Ltd.Colombo. Sri Lanka. All Rights Reserved.| Site best viewed in IE ver 6.0 @ 1024 x 768 resolution