• The IGP had refused to furnish information owing to the national security and territorial integrity of the country 

By Kurulu Koojana Kariyakarawana   

The Right to Information Commission, which had been hearing an appeal made by journalists requesting information regarding expiry dates of tear gas canisters used by the police to defuse recent protests, yesterday concluded the hearing as the Police Chief had refused to grant further information.   

The RTI Commission, which heard the appeal for the third day yesterday concluded its hearing and reserved the judgment for October 27th.   

The case was first taken up for hearing on September 1st following an appeal made by independent journalist Tharindu Jayawardena against the Police Department for not furnishing information related to the expiration dates of the tear gas canisters used to defuse recent spate of protest campaigns of the Galle Face Aragalaya.  

 The commission comprising the three commissioners retired Judge Rohini Walgama, Attorneys Kishali Pinto Jayawardena and Jagath Liyanarachchi yesterday remarked the police department was partially submitting information for 13 queries made by the applicant and some of the provided information was misleading.   

The commission also questioned why the Police Chief has decided not to provide further information when his representative, the Director of the Police Field Force Headquarters agreed to the commission to provide all the remaining details during its last hearing.    An officer from the Police Legal Division who represented the respondent said owing to the national security and territorial integrity of the country the IGP had refused to furnish information further more.   

With these developments the appellant had sought legal action through written submission and considering all the submissions the commission concluded the hearing by reserving its judgment.