News
Senior lawyers decline invitation to join Supreme Court bench
View(s):By Ranjith Padmasiri
Several senior lawyers from the unofficial bar have declined an invitation to take up an existing vacancy in the Supreme Court, the Sunday Times understands.
There are currently two vacancies in the Supreme Court. Court of Appeal Justice Ratnapriya Gurusinghe’s name has been recommended to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to fill one of the vacancies. Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe has not been requested to recommend nominees from his department for the two vacancies.
Lawyers from the unofficial bar have declined the offer, citing the vast gulf that exists between their current income and the considerably lower salary they would make as a Supreme Court Justice.
Based on seniority, Court of Appeal Justice Dhammika Ganepola is next in line to fill the other vacancy in the Supreme Court, but his name has so far not been sent to the Presidential Secretariat, the Sunday Times learns.
Sources added that several senior officers from the Attorney General’s Department had also been approached at an unofficial level to inquire into their interest in filling a vacancy in the Supreme Court, though none has responded positively.
Meanwhile, the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has decided to conclude its inquiry into Colombo High Court Judge Namal Balalle within six months. He was interdicted last week after being served a charge sheet containing 417 charges. The inquiry into Judge Balalle is being conducted by Supreme Court Justice Janak De Silva.
The JSC has also decided to terminate the services of the Nochchiyagama Magistrate after she was found guilty in the disciplinary inquiry. She had faced a disciplinary inquiry on an earlier occasion as well and had been issued an official warning.
The JSC has taken steps to expedite inquiries into interdicted judicial officers.
A total of 106 judicial officers have been transferred, effective September 15. Newly recruited judicial officers have already been assigned duty stations, and the JSC believes that this will enable judicial activities to be conducted without obstruction. While 17 senior judicial officers were recently elevated to the post of High Court Judge, the vacancies created by their promotions are being filled.
Meanwhile, the Law Students’ Union of Sri Lanka has written to Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena requesting their oath ceremony be held without delay.
The letter, sent to the CJ through Sri Lanka Law College Principal Prasantha Lal De Alwis, has requested that the oath ceremony be held at the present temporary building housing the Supreme Court while the main building is undergoing renovation. This is on the grounds that students have already qualified after having passed their final exams, considering the financial and other difficulties they are facing.
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