February 9, 2012, By M. A. Sumanthiran
TNA Member of Parliament
The government has responded in multiple and contradictory ways to the position of the Tamil National Alliance that powers over law and order, including powers over police, should be devolved to the provinces. The President himself has stated openly that police powers cannot be devolved, only to contradict that position when he assured Indian Minister of External Affairs S.M. Krishna that he intends to move towards "a political settlement based on the full implementation of the 13th Amendment to the Sri Lankan Constitution, and building on it, so as to achieve meaningful devolution of powers." However, despite Minister Krishna’s statement going uncontested by the government at the time it was made, the President has now attempted to distance himself from that commitment. The government is aware that the 13th Amendment includes provisions for the devolution of police power. What then is the government’s position? The TNA has, in contrast, consistently asserted the need for powers over police to be devolved.
Constitutional Requirement Full Story>>>
