Defence Ministry to reinstate Police, STF officers received vacation of post orders

The Defence Ministry has decided to reinstate Police officers, including Police Special Task Force (STF), who have received vacation of post orders to strengthen the law and order in the country, a statement from the Ministry said.

The Ministry, which has received the Cabinet approval on February 19, 2020 for this, will reinstate them, following recommendations of a three-member committee.

The committee, which will follow a formal and transparent process with the agreement of National Police Commission and Election Commission, will consider appeals forwarded by officers, who have received vacation of post orders before and after June 1, 2009 and who are below the age of 50-years on January 1, 2020.

Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne has issued directives to reinstate these Police officers considering the appeals that the Ministry is receiving from them.

The Committee will look into the appeals received from the officers who received vacation of post orders before and after June 1, 2009.
The officers, who received vacation of post orders after June 1, 2009, will first need to serve in a capacity building program for a minimum of three years in an area determined by the Inspector General of Police.

If they are intended to get transferred during that period, they should submit an appeal to the National Police Commission.
After a background check for which they received the vacation of post orders, the officers have to undergo medical tests conducted by the Chief Medical Officer of the Police Hospital to confirm that they are physically and mentally fit to be reinstated.

The officers, who have received vacation of post orders before June 1, 2009 and are appealing to be reinstated, should have served one year in Northern and Eastern areas (within operation zones) during the service period prior to the receipt of order of vacation of post.
The officers who have already received vacation of post orders need to submit their appeals, prepared according to the specimen in the www.defence.lk and www.police.lk and further details could be obtained from 0112887884.