Rear Admiral (retd) and State Minister for Local Government and Provincial Councils Sarath Weerasekera is likely to take oaths today as the Minster of Public Security.

The Police Department, the Civil Defence Force and a few other institutions related to public security have already been gazetted under the new ministry.

Weerasekera received the highets number of preferential votes from the Colombo District at the last Parliamentary election. He is known to be a close ally of President Gotabhaya Rajapaksa.

Sources close to the President said Weerasekera was handpicked for the position due to his vast understanding of national security and other related aspects . Asian Mirror reliably learns that Ministers Wimal Weerawansa and Udaya Gammanpila had lobbied to appoint different person to the Cabinet position.However, President Rajapaksa has reportedly insisted that Weerasekera should be given the post due to his proven track record in national security.

A former senior Navy officer, Weerasekera also headed the Civil Defence Force during the final stage of Eelam war.