Sri Lanka PM says police chief remains in office, seeking intervention from speaker
Sri Lanka’s police chief Deshabandu Tennakoon remains in office, as there are no legal provisions for President Ranil Wickremesinghe to make an acting appointment, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardana said. He also asked the speaker to intervene to invalidate the order.
The Supreme Court ordered suspending him from his office and suggesting that an acting appointment be made.
Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardana said there were no legal provisions to do so.
An election had been declared and there the next court hearing is in November after the elections he said.
The position of police chief is not vacant, he said. The order has not explained any legal background, he said.
Prime Minister Gunawardana also maintained that the Constitutional Council which approved the original appointment, was an extension of the parliament as the legislature.
