By Shamindra Ferdinando

The continuing controversy over the third extension granted to IGP C. D. Wickremaratne has taken a new turn with the Constitutional Council (CC) declining to approve President Ranil Wickremesinghe’s recommendation. Extensions are granted subject to CC’s approval.

Wickramaratne, however, continues to hold the post of IGP.

Political sources said that Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and civil society members of the CC had taken a strong stand against yet another extension to Wickremaratne when they met in Parliament on Tuesday (17). The CC has reiterated that a third extension couldn’t be granted under any circumstances. Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena chaired the CC meeting.

Wickremeratne succeeded Pujith Jayasundera after the latter was sent on compulsory leave in the wake of the 2019 Easter Sunday carnage.

Some political sources however said there was no basis for reports that President Wickremesinghe had reinstated Wickremeratne after the CC removed him as the Head of State didn’t exercise such power. Interested parties misinterpreted a decision taken by the CC on Tuesday (17) to cause confusion, sources said, adding that the CC declined to endorse President Wickremesinghe’s recommendation as he had been previously informed of their decision not to grant a further extension.

The CC consists of Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena, Premier Dinesh Gunawardena, Leader of the Opposition Sajith Premadasa, Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva, MP Sagara Kariyawasam, Dr. Prathap Ramanujam, Dr. (Mrs) Dilkushi Anula Wijesundera, and Dr. (Mrs) Dinesha Samararatne.

However, Nimal Siripala de Silva and Kabir Hashim were not present at Tuesday’s meeting when CC decided to reject the President’s recommendation.

Sources said that the CC promptly approved the first three month extension granted to Wickremaratne in April though he retired in late March. When the President granted a second three month extension, the CC had requested that a new IGP be appointed as further extension couldn’t be given, sources said. Therefore, the IGP remained in office contrary to the constitutional provisions in this regard as the CC has denied approval, sources said.

The two senior most officers in the department – Senior DIGs Nilantha Jayawardena and Deshabandu Tennakoon – are named in the report of the Presidential Commission of Inquiry (P CoI) into 2019 Easter Sunday carnage.

Sources said that during Tuesday’s deliberations in Parliament some members of the CC asserted that approval shouldn’t be denied as both President Wickremesinghe and Public Security Minister Tiran Alles were out of the country. However, others had emphasized that they couldn’t go back on their earlier decision not to grant further extension, sources said.