The Constitutional Council did not approve the appointment of Deshabandu Tennakoon as the new IGP, opposition leader Sajith Premadasa claims.
He charged that the constitution has been blatantly violated for the second time.
In a post on ‘X’, he said that during the meeting of the Constitutional Council, four members had voted in favour of Tennakoon as the new IGP, two voted against it while the other two had abstained.
He added that at least five votes are required for a decision and that the Speaker has a casting vote only in case of a tie.
“4/2 is not a tie! Constitution is being blatantly violated for the second time. Shame on you speaker!” he tweeted.
The President’s Media Divion confirmed that Acting IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon was appointed as the 36th IGP of Sri Lanka yesterday (26).
This appointment, in compliance with the stipulations outlined in Articles 41C. (1) and 61E.(b) of the Constitution has been made pursuant to the authority vested on President Ranil Wickremesinghe, it said.