A service extension expected for chief of staff of the Army Maj. Gen. Sanjaya Wanasinghe has now been cancelled by the president, reports Neth News.
Wanasinghe is due to retire on 13 October upon completing 55 years of age.
According to Neth News, the Defence Ministry has failed to follow the due procedure when sending documents for his service extension to the president.
The documents sent mentioned three top Army officers for an extended service, with Wanasinghe’s name in second place.
Successive governments had given extensions to officers in the COS position, including Sarath Fonseka, Shavendra Silva, Dampath Fernando, Sathpriya Liyanage and G.A. Chandrasiri.
Sources at the Presidential Secretariat said the president has refused to continue with practices outside the accepted norms.
Wanasinghe is married to the elder sister of SJB MP Harshana Rajakaruna, and his father Hamilton Wanasinghe is a former Army commander.
