The resolution to remove Deshabandu Tennakoon from the post of Inspector General of Police (IGP) was passed in Parliament yesterday (05th) and has been forwarded to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, according to the Office of the Secretary-General of Parliament.
A total of 177 Members of Parliament voted in favour of the resolution, with no votes cast against it. MP Ramanathan Archchuna abstained from voting.
The resolution was taken up for debate in terms of Section 17 of the Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act, No. 5 of 2002, and the vote was held in the evening following the conclusion of the debate.
Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne presented the motion to the House, and Minister of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs Ananda Wijepala opened the debate on behalf of the government.
During the debate, MPs from both the government and the opposition expressed their views on the conduct of IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, who was under investigation for several allegations, including a shooting incident in Weligama.
The debate continued until 4:00 p.m., after which the resolution was put to a vote. Only a simple majority was required for the resolution to pass.
Following the parliamentary vote, the President is expected to nominate a new candidate for the position of IGP to the Constitutional Council.
On 22nd of July a Committee of Inquiry appointed to investigate allegations of gross abuse of power against the suspended IGP found Deshabandu Tennakoon guilty on all counts.
Last month, Speaker Wickramaratne confirmed that he had received the full report of the Committee of Inquiry, which unanimously recommended Tennakoon’s removal under Section 8(2) of the Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act, No. 5 of 2002.
The Speaker also noted that this marks a historic moment, as it is the first time in Sri Lanka’s constitutional history that such a Committee has recommended the removal of a sitting IGP from office .
