According to the 21st Constitution, the power to run all the functions of the police has been assigned to the current National Police Commission until the new commission is appointed.
Apart from matters related to the appointment of the Inspector General of Police, the matters related to the appointment and transfer of police officers and the maintenance of police discipline are included.
In an inquiry to the Secretary of the National Police Commission Mrs. Tamara D Perera, she said that the Attorney General has given instructions in this regard.
The National Police Commission has now taken steps to inform even the police headquarters in this regard.
Accordingly, with the aim of public accountability concerning the rule of law and human rights assigned to the National Police Commission by the 20th Constitutional Amendment, the National Police Commission has been entrusted with the 21st Constitutional Amendment a great deal of responsibilities including, “Accepting complaints received from members of the public or any disaffected person against a police officer or police force, investigating it and providing relief in accordance with the provisions of any law enacted by the Parliament to transform the Sri Lanka Police into a disciplined, reliable and better responsive institution to public aspirations”.
From the 20th Constitution, most matters related to police transfers, appointments and maintaining discipline were under the Public Service Commission. Based on the matters that arose with the statement by Public Service Commission that the subjects related to the police could not be carried out after the 21st Constitutional Amendment, actions regarding the police will be carried out by the current commission on the advice of the Attorney General until the National Police Commission was appointed in accordance with the 21st Constitutional Amendment.
