Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) has directed its Leader MP Sivagnanam Shritharan to resign from the Constitutional Council following a politburo decision sparked by his support for military appointments to civilian roles.

Party General Secretary M. A. Sumanthiran confirmed the move, stating that the party is deeply concerned by Shritharan’s stance on the militarisation of independent state institutions.

The controversy intensified after former Human Rights Commission official Ambika Satkunanathan criticised Shritharan for voting in favour of O. R. Rajasinghe, an army officer, to become Auditor General. Satkunanathan argued that such a vote contradicts the party’s public opposition to militarisation and warned that placing a military officer in charge of the Auditor General’s office would undermine its independence and weaken good governance.

Party sources indicate that the demand for Shritharan’s resignation was not based on a single instance but a pattern of voting. Shritharan has reportedly supported government-backed positions at the Constitutional Council on eight separate occasions since joining. This includes three specific votes involving the appointment of military personnel to civilian or independent bodies, such as the Police Commission and the Office for Reparations.

Satkunanathan noted that previous auditors general had specifically identified financial waste and corruption within the army, making the proposed appointment particularly contentious for the Tamil people.