7 November 2018 01:11 pm
IGP Pujith Jayasundara said today that he would only act according to the orders given by President Maithripala Sirisena, who now handles the Law and Order Ministry.
He expressed these views at a media briefing held at the Police Headquarters in Colombo.
Responding to a request made by former Law and Order Minister Ranjith Maddumabandara to provide additional security to former Prime Minister, the IGP said he could not do so.
UNP MPs Nalin Bandara, Daya Gamage and Palitha Thewarapperuma on Tuesday handed over a letter of former Minister Ranjith Maddumabandara to the IGP directing to provide security personnel and other facilities given to the former Prime Minister and former Ministers as given before October 26 saying that they were still Ministers of the Government.
“The UNP MPs handed over a letter requesting to reinstate their security personnel as before. But the President had appointed a new Prime Minister and new Ministers.
“In line with new appointments, we have already provided required security personnel for the Prime Minister, Ministers, Deputy Ministers, State Ministers and Parliamentarians according to the IGP provision of the Police circular issued on 2015-11-09.
“Therefore the Police could not act on the request of the MP Ranjith Maddumabandara,” the IGP said.
He said that he had informed the UNP MPs that the Police could not implement their written request.
“We will act only according to the instructions and the directions of the President as the Law and Order Ministry is now comes under the Defence Ministry, which is handled by the President,” the IGP said.
However, when asked about the Speaker’s Statement that he would only recognise the status quo that prevailed in Parliament before the appointment of the new Prime Minister, the IGP refrained from commenting. (Darshana Sanjeewa)
Video by Susantha
Pix by Damith Wickramasingha