The Hon. (Dr.) Najith Indika

¶ 01 Hon. Presiding Member, the special feature today is the way this debate was requested—under Standing Order 19 on matters of urgent public importance, by 20 Members standing. I checked: only about four are here now; in the premises, 19 Opposition MPs at most. So much for urgency.

¶ 02 The issue: as the Hon. Minister stated, the NPC has delegated powers to the IGP for OIC transfers. Is there a constitutional violation? No. We have had the 19th, then the 18th’s rollback earlier, then the 19th restored, then the 20th, and now the 21st. Many in the Opposition today voted across those changes—sometimes to weaken, sometimes to strengthen the Commissions. Some of them are not in this Parliament now, but some who voted each time are still here.

¶ 03 This is not reducing powers by constitutional amendment. It is an exercise of constitutional authority: Article 155G(1) permits the Commission to delegate powers regarding appointments, promotions, transfers, disciplinary control, and removals to a committee not composed of Commission Members. It is within the Constitution. It can be revoked at any time, and criteria and limits apply.

¶ 04 On OIC positions: the Attorney General’s Department clarified on 27 January 2025 that SI, IP, and CI can serve as OICs; it is not a promotion or demotion in itself. Acting under the NPC’s judgment, this does not create a problem. At a time requiring swift decisions—especially when organized crime and drug networks built over decades are being dismantled—operational efficiency is vital.

¶ 05 Who is pressuring whom? The current NPC Members were appointed under prior governments. If we are allegedly pressuring them, who are we pressuring—appointees of your own governments? There is no such pressure. The Opposition’s sudden alarm coincides with strong action against drugs and organized crime, arrests of key suspects, and ongoing investigations.

¶ 06 Standing Orders provide a process: 20 Members rise; time is allocated; the Business Committee organizes the agenda. Yet those who raised the urgency are not even present. That is how this debate was obtained.