Parliament votes to remove IGP Deshabandu Thennakoon

Wednesday, 6 August 2025 00:39 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

A Committee of Inquiry found Thennakoon guilty of 19 out of 23 charges
Allegations include gross abuse of power and serious misuse of authority
First IGP to be sacked by Parliament

Parliament yesterday passed a resolution to remove T.M.W. Deshabandu Thennakoon from his post as Inspector-General of Police (IGP), with 177 Members of Parliament voting in favour and none against. One MP abstained.

This was the first time Parliament had voted to remove a sitting IGP.

In March, 115 MPs signed a motion calling for a Committee of Inquiry into Thennakoon’s conduct.

Parliament approved the motion in April, and a three-member Committee of Inquiry was appointed, chaired by then Supreme Court Judge P.P. Surasena, alongside Justice W.M.N.P. Iddawala and National Police Commission Chair E.W.M. Lalith Ekanayake.

The committee submitted its report to the Speaker on 21 July, which was tabled in Parliament the following day. The report found Thennakoon guilty of 19 out of 23 charges, including allegations of gross abuse of power and serious misuse of authority in the execution of his duties.

The resolution was presented under Section 17 of the Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act, No. 5 of 2002. It followed a five-hour debate in Parliament and required a majority of the total number of MPs, including absentees.