Senior DIG Lalith Pathinayake has been appointed in the interim to oversee the administrative duties of Sri Lanka Police, the National Police Commission announced today.
His appointment comes in the absence of an Inspector General of Police (IGP) in Sri Lanka.
Senior DIG Lalith Pathinayake has been appointed to temporarily oversee the administrative duties of the Sri Lanka Police after the high ranking Police Officials, former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon and former Chief of the State Intelligence Service SDIG Nilantha Jayawardena, are unable to provide their services.
The Supreme Court in July, issued an order restraining Deshabandu Tennakoon from exercising the powers, functions, and responsibilities of the office of the IGP.
The ruling comes after several petitions were filed challenging his appointment by the President and the Constitutional Council.
Also in July this year, Senior DIG Nilantha Jayawardena was placed on compulsory leave in connection to the investigations into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks.
The move comes after the Supreme Court had questioned why the National Police Commission had not initiated action against the former Chief of the State Intelligence Service, as per its previous court order.
With Sri Lanka currently without a head for its Police Force, the National Police Commission has taken necessary steps to address the issue in the interim. (Newswire)
