The Asgiriya Buddhist chapter has raised objections to the ‘interference’ by a religious leader in the appointment of the next police chief.
The president should have the freedom to decide on the appointment, deputy registrar of the chapter Ven. Narampanawe Ananda Thera said, noting that uncalled for interference has denied an IGP for the first time.
He said that Colombo archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith has written to the president, asking that certain persons should not be considered for appointment as the next chief of the police.
Ven. Ananda Thera conceded that there were instances that called for advice to the president by religious leaders, but insisted the appointment of the IGP was not one of them.
Cardinal Ranjith has sent a three-page confidential letter to the parliament speaker and the eight other Constitutional Council members, mentioning two senior DIGs by name, and asking that they be not considered if their names were proposed.
The cardinal accused both officers of having failed to fulfill their duties with regard to the Easter Sunday terror attacks and several other incidents.
In the name of the Catholic community, he urged, that they should not be considered for appointment as the next police chief.
‘Deshaya’ newspaper has spoken to several members of the Constitutional Council and they confirmed having received the cardinal’s letter.
They said advice or interference by an outside party is against the council’s independence, as it independently considers the president’s nominees and selects a suitable person to the position.
