CG of Essential Services has power to instruct public officials - President’s Office

Secretary to the President Dr. P.B. Jayasundara states that under Section 5 of the Public Security Ordinance, the Commissioner General (CG) of Essential Services has the full authority to issue instructions to public officers, including District and Divisional Secretaries. 

Issuing a press release, the President's Media Division (PMD) charged that certain opposition MPs had tried to mislead the public by telling Parliament yesterday that the Commissioner General of Essential Services was not empowered to issue instructions to District Secretaries. 

However, Section 5 of the Public Security Ordinance gives the Commissioner General of Essential Services the power to issue instructions to any official appointed for the purpose of maintaining essential services. Moreover, it is the duty of any such official or authority to carry out those instructions as per the situation, the PMD also emphasized. 

The Commissioner General of Essential Services has been empowered by the President to coordinate the distribution of essential consumer goods such as paddy, rice and sugar that are required to maintain daily life.