Sri Lanka - July 2024

On 24 July, Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court (SC) issued an interim order preventing Deshabandu Thennakoon, who took office in December 2023, from serving as Inspector General of the Sri Lanka Police (IGP) until nine fundamental rights petitions against him are resolved. The petitioners, including the Center for Policy Alternatives and the Young Journalists Association, argued that Thennakoon’s February appointment by the President was unconstitutional and that Thennakoon was unsuitable for the role given a prior SC determination linking Thennakoon to torture and other acts of wrongdoing. The SC suggested an acting IGP appointment be made, but the government has yet to comply, arguing that the Court lacks the authority to challenge presidential appointments. Legal experts condemned this stance as undermining the rule of law. The hearings against Tennekoon have been set for 11 November, and it remains to be seen when an acting IGP will be named, adding a layer of uncertainty to the conduct of the 21 September election.

Sources:  Daily Financial Times, Economy Next, ANFREL