Sri Lanka’s Parliament is scheduled to debate and approve legislation to abolish the Office of the Chief of the Defence Staff (OCDS) next week. The OCDS (Repeal) Bill will be discussed on Wednesday, with a vote expected on the same day.

The OCDS was established under the Chief of Defence Staff Act No. 35 of 2009 to facilitate coordination among the country’s three armed forces. The office has been held by seven individuals since its inception, with General Sarath Fonseka serving as the first Chief of Defence Staff and General Shavendra Silva as the seventh. Before the creation of the OCDS, joint military operations were coordinated by the Joint Operations Command (JOC), which was set up in 1985.

The Sectoral Oversight Committee on Governance, Justice and Civil Protection reviewed the repeal bill earlier this week, with Defence Ministry Secretary Air Vice Marshal (retd) Sampath Thuyacontha among those present. During the committee’s consideration, officials indicated that changing circumstances within the country have rendered the dedicated OCDS office unnecessary.

Currently, a restructuring process is underway within the Sri Lankan armed forces, and coordination efforts are being managed by the Defence Ministry directly. Officials cited economic factors as a key reason for the proposed abolition, suggesting that transferring the OCDS responsibilities to the Defence Ministry would ease the government’s financial obligations.

The move reflects broader government efforts to streamline military administration amid ongoing fiscal challenges.