Former Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapaksa has described the no-confidence motion aimed at removing Deshabandu Tennakoon from the post of Inspector General of Police (IGP) as unconstitutional and futile.
Rajapaksa argues that the appointment of Deshabandu Tennakoon to the IGP position is itself illegal, especially given the Supreme Court’s order suspending his tenure. According to him, Tennakoon no longer legally holds the office of IGP.
He emphasized that a no-confidence motion can only be presented in Parliament against a person who is currently holding a constitutional office. Since the Supreme Court has ruled that Tennakoon is not the IGP, any motion targeting him in that capacity is invalid, he explained.
Rajapaksa further criticized the Speaker of Parliament for accepting the motion, stating that it directly contradicts the Supreme Court’s ruling. He asserted that such an action constitutes a constitutional violation.
The former minister concluded that by moving forward with this no-confidence motion, Parliament is effectively challenging the authority and decision of the Supreme Court, thereby setting a dangerous precedent.
