President Ranil Wickremesinghe has informed the Constitutional Council in writing that he has recommended only incumbent C.D. Wickramaratne to be the police chief, reports ‘Deshaya’.
This week, he wrote to speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, the chairman of the CC, after it asked the defence secretary for a list of four probables for the position of IGP.
In his letter, the president quoted the relevant constitutional clauses and questioned the legal basis for the CC’s request.
Also, there are several court rulings that highlight presidential powers with regard to matters of national security, he wrote further.
Thereafter, Abeywardena got in touch with the Presidential Secretariat and noted that with the CC having twice recommended Wickramaratne, it would not object if the president names him to be the IGP.
According to sources at the Presidential Secretariat, the president intends to keep him in the position until the presidential election is held.
Accordingly, the three-week service extension given to him will next be extended by six months.
