A tense situation arose in Parliament today (08) over the issue of police transfers.

Addressing the Parliament, Chief Opposition Whip Gayantha Karunathilaka questioned the government about a process in which police transfers were reportedly being carried out by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), bypassing the Police Commission.

Opposition MP Gayantha Karunathilaka urged that such practices be discontinued.

Also speaking in Parliament, MP Dayasiri Jayasekara, stated that since 2017, police transfers have consistently been handled by the Police Commission, and that delegating this authority to the IGP at this stage would be inappropriate.

He further pointed out that 32 Senior Superintendents of Police and several Deputy Inspector Generals have already been transferred outside the purview of the Police Commission.

In response, the Speaker advised that the matter be referred to the Constitutional Council.

Commenting on the matter, Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa said that the primary role of the Police Commission is to ensure depoliticization, and that it should not be reduced to a puppet or tool of the government.

Comments from several opposition MPs, including Chaminda Wijesiri, Sujeewa Senasinghe, and Ranjith Madduma Bandara, sparked heated exchanges with government members, intensifying tensions within the chamber.

MP Ranjith Madduma Bandara alleged that the government was intimidating the Police Commission.

Responding to this, Chief Government Whip Minister Nalinda Jayatissa stated that the transfers were being carried out in accordance with the Police Commission’s directives.

He added that in some cases, the Commission had granted the IGP permission to proceed and that there is now a mechanism in place for appeals to be submitted to the Commission.

The Minister clarified that previously, there was no avenue for appeal regarding transfers made by the Commission, but such a process is now available.

Several opposition MPs claimed that the government is steadily moving toward establishing a police state. 

The government rejected these allegations. (Newswire)

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The opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) party has established a special unit to investigate arbitrary transfers being carried out at the state and provincial council levels.

Issuing a statement, the SJB said that it has come to light that there is a systematic program of transferring government officials between service stations on unacceptable and illogical grounds across various state and provincial council sectors.

The SJB pointed out that it is concerning that the government, which came to power with a promise to ensure the independence of the public service, is engaging in such actions. 

Stating that local government elections remain pending and are scheduled to be held soon, while cooperative society elections are currently underway, the SJB alleged that it is evident that this program is being implemented as a targeted effort ahead of these elections, leading to an unprecedented level of politicization in the public service.

The SJB further urged the government and provincial council authorities to immediately suspend all arbitrary transfers being carried out at the state and provincial council levels. (Newswire)

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Several senior Police officers, including Deputy Inspector Generals (DIG), have been transferred. 

SSP H.W.I.S. Muthumala has been appointed as the Director of the Criminal Investigations Department (CID). She previously served as the Deputy Director of the CID. 

SSP E.M.M.S. Dehideniya who served as the Director of the CID has been transferred to the Nugegoda Division.

The National Police Commission has approved the transfers of a total of 54 Police officers. (Newswire)

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