Rajapaksa delegates civil police powers to military

[TamilNet, Monday, 23 April 2007, 11:23 GMT]
Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has delegated civil powers hitherto discharged by the Police to the three armed forces, Sri Lanka Army (SLA), Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) and Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) by a recent Extra-Ordinary Gazette Notification of 1491/18 under Chapter 40 of the Public Security Ordinance dated April 06, 2007. Civil powers entrusted with the police throughout the whole island have been delegated to the military by Mr. Rajapaksa.

Members of the three armed forces, SLA, SLN and SLAF would use the police civil powers to maintain law and order in all districts.

Full text of the Gazette Notification follows:

The Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
EXTRAORDINARY

No. 1491/18 – FRIDAY, APRIL 06, 2007

PART I : SECTION (I) — GENERAL Government Notifications

CF 1/64.

THE PUBLIC SECURITY ORDINANCE (CHAPTER 40)

Order



BY virtue of the powers vested in me by Section 12 of the Public Security Ordinance (Chapter 40), I, Mahinda Rajapaksa, do by this Order call out all the members of the Armed Forces specified in the First Schedule hereto, for the maintenance of the public order in the areas specified in the Second Schedule hereto.

MAHINDA RAJAPAKSA,
President.
Colombo,
06th April, 2007.

FIRST SCHEDULE

• The Sri Lanka Army
• The Sri Lanka Navy
• The Sri Lanka Air Force

SECOND SCHEDULE

• The Administrative District of Colombo
  
• The Administrative District of Gampaha
  
• The Administrative District of Kalutara
  
• The Administrative District of Kandy
  
• The Administrative District of Matale
  
• The Administrative District of Nuwara Eliya
  
• The Administrative District of Galle
  
• The Administrative District of Matara
  
• The Administrative District of Hambantota
• The Administrative District of Jaffna and the territorial waters adjacent to such District
• The Administrative District of Killinochchi
• The Administrative District of Mannar and the territorial waters adjacent to such District
• The Administrative District of Vavuniya
• The Administrative District of Mullativu and the territorial waters adjacent to such District
• The Administrative District of Batticaloa and the territorial waters adjacent to such District
• The Administrative District of Ampara and the territorial waters adjacent to such District
• The Administrative District of Trincomalee and the territorial waters adjacent to such District
• The Administrative District of Kurunegala
• The Administrative District of Puttalam and the territorial waters adjacent to such District
• The Administrative District of Anuradhapura
• The Administrative District of Polonnaruwa
• The Administrative District of Badulla
• The Administrative District of Moneragala
• The Administrative District of Ratnapura
• The Administrative District of Kegalle.

Chronology: