Inspector General of Police (Sri Lanka)

Head of the Sri Lanka police From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Inspector General of Police (IGP) is the professional head of the Sri Lanka Police. They are the most senior police officer in Sri Lanka and oversees all police personnel throughout the country. The IGP reports to the Minister of Law and Order, when the Police Service is under the Ministry of Law and Order as it is currently.

AbbreviationIGP
Member ofNational Security Council
Reports toMinistry of Law and Order
NominatorPresident of Sri Lanka
Quick facts Abbreviation, Member of ...
Inspector General of Police
Flag of the Sri Lanka Police
since 13 August 2025
(Acting: 27 September 2024 – 13 August 2025)
Sri Lanka Police Service
AbbreviationIGP
Member ofNational Security Council
Reports toMinistry of Law and Order
NominatorPresident of Sri Lanka
AppointerConstitutional Council
Constituting instrumentPolice Ordinance, No. 16 of 1865
PrecursorFiscal of Colombo
Formation3 September 1866; 159 years ago (1866-09-03)
First holderWilliam Robert Campbell
(as Chief Superintendent of Police)
DeputySenior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG)
Websitewww.police.lk
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History

The post of Inspector General of Police in Sri Lanka can be traced as far back as 1797 when the office of Fiscal was created and Fredric Barron Mylius was appointed Fiscal of Colombo and entrusted with responsibility of policing the City of Colombo.[1] In 1833, the Head of the Police Service was called the Superintendent of Police, in 1836 the designation was changed to Chief Superintendent of Police.[2]

The official establishment of the Ceylon Police Force was on 3 September 1866 when William Robert Campbell (then the chief of police in the Indian province of Rathnageri) was appointed Chief Superintendent of Police in Ceylon to be in charge of the Police units.[3][4] This post officially became the Chief of Police but was soon changed to that of the Inspector General of Police. Accordingly, William Robert Campbell became the first Inspector General of Police.[5]

On 26 April 2019 President Maithripala Sirisena instructed Pujith Jayasundara to resign over failures that led to the deadly Easter bomb attacks. Due to a lack of response from Jayasundara, he was put on compulsory leave with Senior DIG C. D. Wickramaratne appointed the acting Inspector General.[6]

After two extensions Wickramaratne was given a third extension by President Ranil Wickramasinghe on 9 October 2023, which was subsequently rejected by the Constitutional Council, with all members disagreeing with the president leaving the validity of the post and making the post vacant for the first time in the country's history.[7] On 29 November 2023 Deshabandu Tennakoon was appointed acting Inspector General by President Wickremesinghe.[8] He was formally confirmed as Inspector General on 26 February 2024, with the speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardane acting unconstitutionally voting which the supreme courts of Sri Lanka suspending Deshabandu acting in post.[9]

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake appointed Priyantha Weerasooriya as the 37th Inspector General of Police on 13 August 2025. He had previously served in an acting capacity since 27 September 2024.[10][11]

Removal

The Inspector General of Police can be removed through an investigation by a 3-member committee if found guilty of specified offence(s) under the Removal of Officers (Procedure) Act No. 5 of 2002.[12]

Inspectors General of Police

More information No., Took office ...
No. Inspector General Took office Left office Appointed by Ref.
1 George William Robert Campbell3 September 18661872Robinson
2 Frederick Richard Saunders18721873Gregory
3 George William Robert Campbell18731891
4 Louis Knollys18911902Gordon
5 Albert De Wilton19021905Ridgeway
6 Cyril Longden19051910Blake
7 Ivor Edward David19101913McCallum
8 Herbert Dowbiggin19131937Chalmers
9 Philip Norton Banks19371942Stubbs
10 Gordon Herbert Ramsay Halland19421944Caldecott
11 Ranulph Bacon19441946Moore
12 Richard Aluwihare19461955
13 Osmund de Silva26 July 195524 April 1959Goonetilleke
14 M. Walter F. Abeykoon1 May 19592 February 1963
15 S. A. Dissanayake3 February 19633 June 1966Gopallawa
16 John Attygalle4 June 19667 July 1967
17 Aleric Abeygunawardena8 July 196713 September 1970
18 Stanley Senanayake14 September 197023 August 1978
19 Ana Seneviratne24 August 197814 March 1982Jayewardene
20 Rudra Rajasingham20 March 198220 March 1985
21 Herbert Weerasinghe20 April 19855 December 1985
22 Cyril Herath6 December 198531 July 1988
23 Ernest Perera1 August 198829 November 1993Premadasa
24 Frank de Silva29 November 199331 July 1995Wijetunga
25 Wickremasinghe Rajaguru31 July 199531 August 1998Kumaratunga
26 Lakdasa Kodituwakku1 September 199827 August 2002
27 T. E. Anandaraja1 October 200214 October 2003
28 Indra de Silva19 December 200330 September 2004
29 Chandra Fernando1 October 200411 October 2006
30 Victor Perera12 October 200631 June 2008M. Rajapaksa
31 Jayantha Wickramarathne1 July 20082 November 2009
32 Mahinda Balasuriya3 November 200917 June 2011
33 Nugagaha Kapalle Illangakoon16 July 201111 April 2016
34 Pujith Jayasundara20 April 201614 March 2020[a]Sirisena
35 C. D. Wickramaratne27 November 2020[b]23 November 2023G. Rajapaksa
36 Deshabandu Tennakoon26 February 2024[c]24 July 2024 (suspended)[d] Wickramasinghe [13]
37 Priyantha Weerasooriya 13 August 2025[e]IncumbentDissnayake [11]
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See also

Notes

  1. [a]
    On compulsory leave since April 2019 and formally retired on 14 March 2020
  2. [b]
    Acting Inspector General from 29 April 2019, appointed as permanent Inspector General on 27 November 2020
  3. [c]
    Acting Inspector General from 29 November 2023, appointed as permanent Inspector General on 26 February 2024
  4. [d]
    Suspended from duties on 24 July 2024 and removed from office on 5 August 2025
  5. [e]
    Acting Inspector General from 27 September 2024, appointed as permanent Inspector General on 13 August 2025

References

External links

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