By Chitra Weerarathne
The Supreme Court yesterday, requested the Additional Solicitor General Mr. Saleem Marsoof, PC, to furnish to court for perusal, the reasons and particulars regarding the recent transfers of 24 Officers-in-Charge of the police stations.

The particulars are to be filed in court by November 15.

Mr. Marsoof was appearing for the IGP and the Secretary Defence, made respondents in the fundamental rights violation plea, filed by Karu Jayasuriya, the deputy leader of the UNP, complaining of bulk transfers of police officers, subsequent to the dissolution of parliament. The petition said that these transfers were favourable to the PA and detrimental to the UNP.

When the application was called before the court yesterday, the court asked Mr. K. N. Choksy PC (Counsel for the petitioner) whether the petitioner is complaining about any particular OIC transfer.

If given any specific complaint, the court will look into it, the court held.

The Additional Solicitor General Saleem Marsoof said that some OICs wanted the transfer effected?

Justice C. V. Wigneswaran — Were the transferred OICs replaced?

AGA - Yes.

Mr. Choksy said that he received the answer filed by the respondents only on Friday.

He said that eleven police officers were transferred to Elections Secretariat, another eleven to the VIP security service. But 46 officers have been transferred without accounting for those transfers. Altogether 68 officers have been transferred subsequent to the dissolution of parliament on October 10 this year.

Mr. Marsoof said the petitioner did not make any specific complaint. He said transfers are done in bulk. The IGP has said in an affidavit that during the election time exigencies do arise. Bulk transfers had been done in the year 2000 too. He said in August last year 205 transfers were made, 230 in September 2000, and 162 in October last year.

The case will be called again on November 20.

The bench comprised the Chief Justice, Sarath N. Silva, Justices H. S. Yapa and Justice C. V. Wigneswaran.