The Attorney General today (11) requested the Supreme Court to present a submission containing the stance of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake regarding the appointment of Deshabandu Tennakoon to the post of Inspector General of Police (IGP).

This request was made by Deputy Solicitor General Nerin Pulle during the case involving nine petitions, including those by Colombo Archbishop Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Prof. Savithri Gunasekara and the Sri Lanka Young Journalists’ Association (YJA), challenging Tennakoon’s appointment as IGP.

Also, the Supreme Court today allowed former President Ranil Wickremesinghe, who was permitted to be named as a respondent in this case following a motion filed by President of YJA Tharindu Iranga Jayawardhana, to file objections.

The Court agreed to the Attorney General’s request. The next hearing of the case is scheduled for 24 and 25 February 2025.

The petitions were heard the bench comprising Justices Yasanta Kodagoda, Achala Wengappuli, and Mahinda Samayawardena.

Initially, these petitions were heard in Chambers but were later moved to open court. The respondent, Deshabandu Tennakoon, filed a motion requesting the petitions be referred to a full bench, while the YJA submitted a motion opposing this. The court ordered the registry to forward Tennakoon's request to the Chief Justice, clarifying that this does not imply that the current bench cannot hear or conclude the petitions.

A group of attorney, including Presidents’ Counsels Saliya Peiris, Geoffrey Alagaratnam and attorneys Thishya Weragoda and Suren Fernando, represented the petitioners. President’s Counsel Romesh de Silva represented Deshabandu Tennakoon, while President’s Counsel Ronald Perera appeared for former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

 On 24 July, the Supreme Court issued an interim order preventing Deshabandu Tennakoon from performing duties or functioning as the IGP. It also directed the President to name a suitable candidate for the post of IGP during the period the interim order is in effect.

However, until President Anura Kumara Dissanayake was elected, the position remained vacant. After the interim government was formed, SDIG Priyantha Weerasooriya was appointed as the Acting IGP.