{"id":126651,"date":"2014-06-22T00:18:22","date_gmt":"2014-06-21T18:48:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=126651"},"modified":"2014-06-28T01:34:46","modified_gmt":"2014-06-27T20:04:46","slug":"independence-of-police-under-17-a-is-possible-under-up-dated-13-a","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/independence-of-police-under-17-a-is-possible-under-up-dated-13-a\/","title":{"rendered":"Independence Of Police Under 17A Is Possible Under Up-Dated 13A"},"content":{"rendered":"

By\u00a0Elmore Perera<\/a><\/span>\u00a0–<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"Elmore<\/a>

Elmore Perera<\/p><\/div>\n

Neville Ladduwahetty is quite right in stating in his article\u00a0published in the Island of 20th June 2014 that \u201crecent incidents in\u00a0Aluthgama<\/span><\/a> and Beruwala have highlighted the crying need to address\u00a0issues relating to Law and Order in Sri Lanka\u201d. Perhaps the only way\u00a0to improve the Law and Order situation is by restoring the provisions\u00a0for a National Police Commission as set out in the 17th Amendment<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

For the Rule of Law to prevail it is imperative that the Police who\u00a0are responsible for maintaining Law and Order should be independent of\u00a0political or other patronages.<\/p>\n

Article 155G(1)(b) of Chapter XV111A \u2013 NATIONAL POLICE COMMISSION\u00a0(under the 17th Amendment introduced in 2001) stated that \u201cThe\u00a0Commission shall not in the exercise of its powers under this Article,\u00a0derogate from the powers and functions assigned to the Provincial\u00a0Police Service Commission as and when such commissions are established\u00a0under Chapter XVIIA \u2013 Provincial Councils.<\/p>\n

The Provincial Councils under the 13th Amendment<\/span><\/a>, introduced in\u00a01987, presently provides that the Provincial Police Commission (if and\u00a0when it is constituted) shall be composed of the DIG of the Province\u00a0appointed by the National Police Commission; a person nominated by the\u00a0National Public Service Commission in consultation with the President\u00a0and a nominee of the Chief Minister.<\/p>\n

Clause 11:1 in Appendix 1 to List 1 of the Ninth Schedule to the\u00a0Constitution presently provides that \u201cThe DIG of the Province shall be\u00a0responsible to and under the control of the Chief Minister thereof in\u00a0respect of the maintenance of public order in the Province and the\u00a0exercise of police powers in the Province\u201d. \u00a0As stated by Neville, this\u00a0means that 2 of the 3 members of the Provincial Police Commission are\u00a0under the control of the Chief Minister. Admittedly, in those
\ncircumstances the Provincial Police will NOT be independent of\u00a0political patronage.<\/p>\n

The solution is clear and simple. The aforementioned provision in\u00a0Article 155G(1)(b) was introduced at a time when a Provincial Division\u00a0of the Sri Lanka Police Force was still only a concept. It merely\u00a0provided that the National Police Commission shall not act in\u00a0derogation of\u00a0the powers and functions that may, thereafter, be assigned to the\u00a0Provincial Police Service Commission.<\/p>\n

The reintroduction of the 17th Amendment can only be done by an\u00a0amendment to repeal the 18th Amendment<\/span><\/a>. \u00a0This amendment could also\u00a0amend the aforementioned clause 11:1 in Appendix 1 to List 1 of the\u00a0Ninth Schedule of the 13th Amendment to provide that the Provincial\u00a0DIG shall be responsible to and under the control of the Governor of\u00a0the Province, or perhaps the Provincial Police Commission. This will\u00a0hopefully result in the creation of Independent Provincial Police\u00a0Forces together with an independent National Police Force.<\/p>\n

There appears to be widespread belief that the acts of omission and\u00a0commission on the part of members of the National Police Service were\u00a0largely responsible for the incidents at Alutgama and Beruwela.<\/p>\n

Could these have happened if a Provincial Police Service was in place?<\/p>\n

I think NOT. Perhaps Neville, (who, like me, was born and bred beyond\u00a0the Bentara Ganga) will also agree.<\/p>\n

*\u00a0Elmore Perera<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>, Attorney-at-Law –\u00a0<\/span>Founder, Citizen\u2019s Movement for Good Governance -Past President, Organisation of Professional Associations<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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