The National Police Commission (NPC) has requested a meeting with the Attorney General (AG) to address growing tensions with Acting IGP Priyantha Weerasuriya over the authority to transfer Police OICs. Sources indicate that the meeting is expected to take place next week.
The dispute escalated after Acting IGP sought legal guidance from the AG’s Department regarding his authority over OIC appointments, without consulting the National Police Commission. In response, the NPC maintains that it holds exclusive authority over such appointments and is not seeking a legal opinion but rather addressing the procedural conflict raised by the IGP’s actions.
Earlier, Acting IGP Weerasuriya formally requested the NPC to acknowledge the AG’s legal interpretation and grant him the authority to make OIC appointments. The NPC rejected the request and forwarded a copy of its response to the Constitutional Council, further widening the rift between the two institutions.
The NPC insists that the Public Service Commission’s prescribed procedures for appointing OICs must be followed and that the IGP lacks unilateral authority over such decisions. Under the 21st Amendment to the Constitution, the National Police Commission holds broad powers over the appointment, promotion, transfer, disciplinary control, and dismissal of all police officers except for the Inspector General of Police (IGP).
The ongoing standoff between the NPC and the Acting IGP underscores a deeper power struggle within the police administration, with legal aand constitutional implications yet to be fully addressed.
