Sri Lanka, Dec. 7 -- In a move to strengthen the state bureaucracy and protect public officers from future political reprisal, the Government is to undertake a probe into political witch-hunts against certain targeted public officers during the last government. New laws and mechanisms are also under consideration to ensure greater protection for the state bureaucracy in the future, it was announced yesterday.

A Special Presidential Commission of Inquiry (SPCoI), which has the power to recommend punishment, is to be established shortly to investigate those government officials who conducted investigations into the conduct of other public officials who were targets of political witch-hunts during the last government.

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