Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasuriya has issued a set of instructions to all police officers banning gifts and external funding for Sinhala and Tamil New Year celebrations at police stations, Ada Derana reported on Wednesday.
Under the new directive, police units must not accept donations, sponsorships or gifts from private parties, businesses or community organisations to fund their Avurudu events. Instead, the department has allocated just Rs. 250 per officer from state funds to cover in-station celebrations — a deliberately modest sum designed to signal that the police are not in the business of receiving seasonal largesse from outsiders.
The directive is aimed at closing a long-standing grey area in which local businesses, community leaders or — in some cases — individuals under investigation have been known to sponsor meals, gifts or sweetmeats at police stations during the New Year period. Anti-corruption activists have repeatedly flagged such practices as a backdoor for soft influence over investigations.
IGP Weerasuriya’s instructions come just five days before Avurudu, which falls on April 13-14 this year, and ahead of the wider holiday week when police stations traditionally host small communal celebrations. The directive reinforces the government’s broader integrity push under the Dissanayake administration, which has promoted proactive anti-corruption measures across the public sector.
Police officers receiving gifts or permitting external funding for Avurudu events in violation of the order could face disciplinary action, though the directive does not specify penalties. Senior officers have been asked to ensure compliance across all divisions before the holiday week begins.
