Former Parliamentarian Hirunika Premachandra filed a Fundamental Rights petition in the Supreme Court, seeking an order to restrain Deshabandu Tennakoon from carrying out his duties as Inspector General of Police (IGP).
In her petition, Hirunika named Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake, Chairman of the Constitutional Council Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardana, members of the Constitutional Council, and the Attorney General as respondents.
The petitioner stated that the Attorney General had communicated naming Tennakoon as a suspect in a matter before the Magistrate’s Court of Fort related to the attack on peaceful protesters at Galle Face on May 9, 2022.
Further, the petitioner cited a Supreme Court judgment (SC FR 107/2011) that found Deshabandu Tennakoon guilty of violating the fundamental rights of a former army soldier under Articles 11, 12(1), 13(1), and 13(2) of the Constitution. The Court had ordered Tennakoon to pay Rs. 500,000 as compensation.
The petitioner argued that the failure to take all possible steps in selecting and appointing a suitable candidate was against the best interests of the people and contrary to the duty of all state organs to uphold Fundamental Rights.
Hirunika maintained that this appointment would undermine the Rule of Law and deny the petitioner and citizens their rights guaranteed by Article 12(1) of the Constitution. She also criticized the appointment process for disregarding constitutional provisions, specifically Article 41(E)4, regarding the manner of voting in the Constitutional Council when only four members have voted in favor of such an appointment.
This petition was filed through Attorney-at-Law Sithara Sampath Wijewardena.
