COLOMBO: Sri Lanka`s ruling party said on Tuesday it would sack the island nation`s police chief, who is in custody awaiting trial over a botched drug raid that resulted in an officer`s death.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake`s ruling coalition submitted a resolution to that effect in parliament, beginning a lengthy legal process to dismiss InspectorGeneral Deshabandu Tennakoon. `We hope the speaker will act promptly on the resolution,` lawmaker and deputy labour minister Mahinda Jayasinghe told reporters outside the legislature.

`We want him removed on four counts corruption, misconduct, abuse of power, and gross partiality in office.` Dissanayake is required to address parliament before appointing a three-member panel to investigate the allegations.

If Tennakoon is found guilty, an absolute majority of lawmakers must endorse his removal. Dissanayake`s leftist National People Power (NPP) coalition has the numbers to comfortably remove Tennakoon after a landslide election victory lastyear.

The police chief turned himself in to authorities last week after more than a fortnight on the run from an arrest warrant. He stands accused of authorising an illfated drug bust in 2023, allegedly in violation of internal regulations.-AFP