News
National Police Commission seeks meeting with Attorney General over who has power to transfer OICs
View(s):By Chandani Kirinde
The National Police Commission (NPC) has sought a meeting with the Attorney General to discuss the issues that have arisen over the transfer of Officers in Charge (OIC) of police stations.
The meeting is likely to take place in the coming week, a source with knowledge of the matter said.
The NPC has sought the meeting in the wake of Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya getting an interpretation from the AGs Department which he claimed said he has the power to handle the appointment of OICs, a fact disputed by the NPC.
“Our meeting with the AG is not to get an interpretation of the law as it is very clear that the NPC is empowered to make the appointments of OICs but we would like to discuss the matter with him as the IGP has sought his opinion without informing the NPC,” the source said.
The NPC maintains that the law makes the procedure for such appointments clear and that such power does not rest with the IGP.
Earlier the Acting IGP Weerasooriya wrote to NPC requesting that he be delegated the responsibility of making the OIC appointments, making the claim based on the AG interpretation of the law. The NPC had replied rejecting the request and copied the letter to the Constitutional Council widening the dispute between the two parties.
The NPC says that there is a procedure to be followed when approving appointment of OICs as laid down by the Public Service Commission (PSC) and the NPC has to adhere to that.
Under the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, the NPC has wide powers over the appointment, promotion, transfers, disciplinary control, and dismissal of police officers other than the IGP. Vested with powers to act as an independent oversight body for the police, its main objective is the depoliticisation of the Police Department.
The NPC is chaired by retired High Court Judge Lalith Ekanayake. Other members of the Commission are retired Ministry Secretary Renuka Ekanayake, retired District Secretary K. Karunaharan, Attorney-at-Law Dilshan Kapila Jayasuriya, President’s Counsel A.A.M. Iliyas and retired Deputy Inspector General Jayantha Jayasinghe.
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