In yet another strategic maneuver gone awry, President and independent presidential candidate Ranil Wickremesinghe finds himself facing mounting challenges as the Speaker of Parliament, Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, firmly dismissed his suggestion to engage the Chief Justice (CJ) on the contentious issue surrounding the Inspector General of Police (IGP) position.
On July 28, Wickremesinghe called for discussions involving both Abeywardana and Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya to address the turmoil over the IGP appointment. However, Abeywardana was quick to rebuff this proposition, asserting that the matter lies outside his jurisdiction and should be addressed through legal channels.
Nothing to Discuss with CJ
“What would I discuss with him? There is nothing for me to talk about. There is no law that empowers me to address this issue, nor do I have the right to do so. The appointment or removal of the IGP is beyond my purview; it falls outside my responsibilities,” Abeywardana stated unequivocally when queried by The Daily Morning.
The Speaker emphasized that the issue is now beyond the resolution of either himself or the President. “I made it very clear in the Parliament that this is not something that can be resolved by me or the President. What more is there to discuss once I have said that? We should act wisely. We cannot meddle in these matters based solely on feelings. Everything must be handled within the confines of the law,” he noted.
The core of the issue stems from an interim order issued by the Supreme Court (SC), which granted leave to proceed to nine Fundamental Rights (FR) petitions challenging the appointment of Tennakoon as the IGP. The petitioners, including Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith and the Young Journalists’ Association, questioned the Constitutional Council’s (CC) endorsement of Tennakoon’s appointment.
Abeywardana urged those concerned to bring the matter before the SC through an FR petition, highlighting that the absence of a permanent IGP poses a significant issue, particularly with a Presidential Election imminent. “This situation arose due to the SC’s interim order. Therefore, one should present the matter directly before the SC, highlighting that the absence of an IGP has created a serious issue while a Presidential Election is underway. They should argue that their FRs have been violated because of this issue and request a resolution,” he advised.
President Wickremesinghe, during a recent public rally in Homagama, said that he had discussed the matter with the speaker and he had agreed to speak to the Chief Justice .
However with Abeywardana’s refusal to engage, Wickremesinghe’s latest strategy appears to have misfired, potentially brewing further trouble in the already turbulent political landscape.
