Police Chief, NPC in open battle over transfers

By Chandani Kirinde

The National Police Commission (NPC) and the Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya have locked horns over the transfer of Officers in Charge (OIC) of police stations with the dispute reaching the Constitutional Council (CC).

Acting IGP Weerasoorirya had written to the NPC this week requesting that he be delegated the responsibility of making the OIC appointments but the NPC had replied rejecting the request and copied the letter to the CC.

The dispute between the NPC and the Acting IGP spilled over the public arena yesterday after IGP Weerasooriya accused the NPC of interfering with the internal work of the Police Department and that without the necessary powers to do transfers, he was only an IGP in name.

“The Police Department sought the opinion of the Attorney General and we were informed that these are not 'appointments'; but are ‘transfers’ and hence can be undertaken by the IGP,” he said at a press briefing yesterday.

A senior source at the NPC vehemently denied the Acting IGP’s charge and said that the Commission is acting within the power granted to it by the Constitution and could not deviate from the laid out procedure when approving OIC appointments.

“There is a set procedure to be followed when approving appointment of OICs as paid down by the Public Service Commission (PSC). We have to follow thata procedure,” the source said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

 So far of the 197 names that were recommended by the Acting IGP for OIC appointments , the NPC has approved around 140 names while a few were withheld due to them lacking the necessary qualifications to hold such a position,  the Sunday Times learns.

The NPC source said that failure to adhere to the laid out procedure would result in such appointments being challenged in court as has happened several times. “It is not a matter of us wanting to hold onto these powers but we are acting within the law. If such powers are to be delegated to the IGP, we have to consult the AG and get his opinion,” the source said.

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.