Ranil accuses government of politicizing independent commissions

COLOMBO (News1st): United National Party (UNP) leader Ranil Wickremesinghe on Sunday accused the government of tarnishing the independent nature of commissions. "Look at the manner in which they are scolding the members of the election commission," Wickremesinghe told a meeting with the lawyers association of his party. He claimed that several police officers have been transferred by the National Police Commission that has now become politicized. "The freedom of state employees must be protected," the UNP leader insisted. He pointed out that the previous government, in which he was Prime Minister, had not sidelined state employees who did not support them. The UNP leader said that democratic rights are diminishing gradually as state employees are being scolded in public while the police service has become politicized.