President instructs Police to perform duties in an unbiased manner during Presidential poll

President Maithripala Sirisena today (Sept 27) instructed senior police officers to carry out their duties in an unbiased manner during the presidential elections on November 16.

"We should ensure that accusations are not made saying that the police had acted in favour of a particular party," the President, who is the Defence Minister said.

Meanwhile, the President had said that a special cabinet meeting is to be convened this evening in the wake of trade union actions by employees of several state authorities.

Accordingly, Sirisena asked senior police officials to hand over their concerns on their salaries and allowances, to discuss it with the Finance Ministry and the Special Salaries Commission..

The President's Office in a statement said that the recent incidents of drowning in seas located near tourist hotels had also been taken up at the meeting.

Further, the progress of a program to curb extortion and the use of mobile phones in prisons had been discussed, the statement read.

Acting Police Chief Chandana Wickramaratne, Senior Deputy Inspector General (DIG)'s, and other senior police officials were present at the meeting.