The Constitutional Council has approved President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s proposal to appoint Priyantha Weerasooriya as the 37th Inspector General of Police (IGP).
Weerasooriya was first appointed Acting IGP on 27 September 2024, filling the position that had been vacant for nearly three months following a Supreme Court interim injunction preventing Deshabandu Tennakoon from holding the post. Tennakoon was dismissed earlier this month after a motion was passed in Parliament.
In a historic milestone, Weerasooriya becomes the first officer in the 158-year history of the Sri Lanka Police to rise from the rank of police constable to IGP.
A law graduate of the University of Colombo, Priyantha Weerasooriya entered the police service as a constable before later qualifying as a lawyer at the Sri Lanka Law College. He went on to serve as an Assistant Superintendent of Police and also holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in Human Resource Management.
Over his 36-year career, ten former IGPs have issued commendation letters recognising his exceptional service. Priyantha Weerasooriya has served in senior positions including Deputy Inspector General in charge of Crime and Traffic, Director of Police Logistics, and Senior Deputy Inspector General (SDIG) for the North Central Province.
Weerasooriya has also represented Sri Lanka in United Nations peacekeeping missions in East Timor and Haiti.
