PARLIAMENT

Hon. Chamara Sampath Dasanayake,— To ask the Minister of Defence,— (1)

(a) Will he inform this House —

(i) of the procedure through which the present Commander of the Army and the Commander of the Air Force of Sri Lanka were appointed, separately;

(ii) whether there were no other more senior and qualified officers than the present Commander of the Army and the Commander of the Air Force to be appointed to the post of Commander of the Army and the post of Commander of the Air Force;

(iii) of the reasons for appointing the present Commander of the Army and the Commander of the Air Force, separately, ignoring the other more senior and qualified officers, if any;

(iv) of the other criteria that are considered in the appointment of Commanders of forces, other than the seniority criterion; and

(v) ​​if so, of the aforesaid  criteria?

(b) If not, why?