Govt. willing if requested by Opposition: Kiriella

The government is prepared to move a motion to remove IGP Pujith Jayasundara from office if the Opposition make such a request, House Leader and Minister Lakshman Kiriella said yesterday.

He said this in response to a statement made by United People’s Freedom Alliance (UPFA) MP Dinesh Gunawardene in parliament.

The minister said the IGP could be removed under the Removal of Public Officers (Procedure) Act but prior to doing so a committee had to be appointed to probe the charges against him and then a motion should be presented in the House asking for his expulsion.

“The 19th Amendment to the Constitution is not an impediment to remove the IGP,” he said. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)