• CC approval pending

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Chandana D. Wickramaratne, whose initial service extension expired on 26 June, was yesterday (09) granted another three-month service extension by President Ranil Wickremesinghe, subject to approval from the Constitutional Council (CC), the Presidential Media Division (PMD) stated.

Wickramaratne’s return to the top constable’s seat comes following an unprecedented 14 day gap, where the157 year old Police service was for the first time without a leader.  

The Daily Morning, citing the sources within the CC reported on 27 June that Wickramaratne would most likely be granted another service extension by the President.

A meeting between Wickremesinghe and Public Security Minister Tiran Alles was held at the Presidential Secretariat yesterday evening, to discuss the appointment of the IGP. Following the meeting, both the Presidential Secretariat and Public Security Ministry stated that President Wickremesinghe, on the recommendation of Alles,has granted another three-month service extension to Wickramaratne.

The President’s recommendation will now be sent to the CC for its approval. According to the Opposition Leader, Sajith Premadasa as stated in the Parliament last week, the CC was not scheduled to meet last week. However, Prime Minister Dinesh Gunawardena pointed out that the CC could be called for an emergency session, if a need arises.

On 26 April 2019, then-President and Defence Minister and incumbent Opposition Parliamentarian Maithripala Sirisena ordered then-IGP Pujith Jayasundara to resign over the latter's alleged failure to prevent the Easter Sunday terror attacks. Jayasundara refused to resign and was then sent on compulsory leave, after which Wickramaratne was appointed as the acting IGP. He was confirmed as the IGP on 25 November 2020, and was scheduled to retire in March, 2023. He was then granted a three-month service extension by the President, which ended on 26 June.