The Hon. Arjuna Sujeewa Senasinghe, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 UPHOLDING INDEPENDENCE OF NATIONAL POLICE COMMISSION

¶ 02 Hon. Presiding Member, under Standing Order 19(2), at the time of Adjournment I move:

¶ 03 “The Police Commission, first established by the Parliament Act of 1991, was strengthened as an independent commission by the 19th Amendment and reaffirmed by the 21st Amendment. Media reports indicate that the powers relating to transfers of OICs, which fall within the purview of the Police Commission, are to be assigned to the IGP via a special Gazette.

¶ 04 I propose that Parliament immediately intervene to uphold the independence of the Police Commission.”

¶ 05 Independent Commissions were created to entrench democracy, good governance, justice, and the rule of law. Under the Constitution, nine such Commissions were established: Elections, Public Service, National Police, Audit Service, Human Rights, Bribery or Corruption Investigation, Finance, Delimitation, and National Procurement.

¶ 06 Their independence is crucial. Through political struggle we achieved these independent bodies to balance executive influence. When in government, power can cloud judgment. I am glad the Hon. Prime Minister is here; I trust your background of good governance and democracy, and that you will not be part of dismantling these norms.

¶ 07 Reports indicate powers of the National Police Commission (NPC) are being shifted to the IGP. I have written to the Speaker as Chair of the Constitutional Council on 08.10.2025: “Urgent Parliamentary Intervention Required to Preserve Constitutional Independence of the National Police Commission… Powers are being transferred from the NPC to the IGP, fundamentally subverting our constitutional architecture… The Constitutional Council must intervene without delay.” I understand some steps have been taken and NPC has been informed; I hear decisions have been postponed.

¶ 08 Minister, you too, while in Opposition and on oversight committees, raised such concerns. Today we see blatant politicization of institutions like the CID and the Bribery Commission. Some officers say they are being pressured to target Opposition politicians. Yet when allegations arise against government figures, action stalls—case in point, the container theft matter; portfolio changes were made, but legal action languishes.

¶ 09 Meanwhile, organized crime has surged. According to a report I obtained on organized crimes since 2022, total incidents in 2024 were 74; but in just the first seven months of 2025 there were 64 murders—nearly matching 2024. Overall for Jan–Jul 2025, serious incidents were 80 (by category: shootings, knife attacks, etc.). I place these reports in the Library. With such a crime wave, politicizing the police and curtailing NPC powers will further endanger public security.

¶ 10 The Constitution says NPC members must be persons of eminence in public or professional life, non-partisan, and approved by Parliament—so as to keep the institution independent. Today, administration and discipline both concentrate under the IGP; transferring more NPC powers to him will break trust, demoralize officers, and invite abuse. Governments change; today’s measures can be used tomorrow against current incumbents. I urge the Hon. Prime Minister to intervene and preserve NPC’s independence and your own good-governance values. Thank you.