Cabinet approves proposal to establish mechanism to reinstate Policemen ordered to vacate posts

The Cabinet last week approved a proposal by State Minister of Defence Chamal Rajapaksa seeking to establish a mechanism to reinstate Policemen who had been issued orders to vacate their posts. 

Speaking at a press conference, Minister of Information and Mass Media, and Higher Education, Technology and Innovation Bandula Gunawardana said that there is a pool of 5,900 such Police officers who have appealed the orders to vacate post. 

The proposal is seen as a means to economically and quickly fill the vacancies in the Police and Special Task Force. According to a Cabinet press release, the proposal points out that some of the vacancies cannot be filled quickly as it takes considerable time and resources to recruit and field concomitant Police officers. 

Under the proposal, the Police department is to establish a transparent mechanism to review appeals lodged by those Policemen who were issued orders to vacate post and failed to lodge an appeal against their dismissal during the given time period. 

The proposed mechanism will include a committee made up of senior officers who will review the appeals. The Police department is to pick suitable officers for reinstatement based of the recommendations of the committee.