Sajith Premadasa Calls Out Five-Year Wait Faced by Women Police Constable Recruits

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has brought national attention to the plight of a group of women who successfully qualified for Police Constable positions under the 2021 recruitment process, yet have been waiting nearly five years without receiving their official appointments.

Premadasa raised the matter publicly after meeting with the affected women, who expressed deep frustration over the prolonged delay that has left their careers and livelihoods in limbo. Having cleared the required examinations and selection criteria, the recruits say they were never formally absorbed into the police service despite fulfilling all necessary conditions.

A System That Has Failed Its Own Recruits

The Opposition Leader described the situation as a serious failure of state administration, arguing that qualified individuals who had invested time and effort in meeting official requirements deserve prompt and fair treatment from the government.

The women who qualified under the 2021 intake have been left in uncertainty for far too long. This is not just a bureaucratic delay — it is an injustice that must be corrected without further postponement.

Premadasa called on the government and the relevant authorities to take immediate steps to resolve the appointment backlog, stressing that continued inaction was undermining public trust in state institutions.

Broader Concerns Over Public Sector Recruitment

The case has reignited wider concerns about the efficiency and transparency of public sector recruitment in Sri Lanka, where delays in appointments have historically affected thousands of qualified candidates across various government departments.

Civil society observers note that such delays disproportionately impact young women from rural and lower-income backgrounds, who often depend on secure government employment as a primary source of income for their families.

The affected recruits have urged the government to honour its obligations and issue their appointment letters without any further delay, warning that they would be compelled to escalate their protest if the matter remains unresolved.

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