President makes key Judiciary appointments

• 6 new judges to Supreme Court
• New President for Court of Appeal
• 14 new judges to Court of Appeal
• Govt. says appointments are a milestone

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday made several key Judiciary appointments with the Government describing it as a milestone. 

Twenty one new judges to superior courts were sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa who at the ceremony pledged to support independence of the Judiciary and ensures its functioning is free of politicisation and other forms of interference.

Judges appointed to the Supreme Court are as follows,

• Justice A.H.M. Dilip Nawaz
• Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe
• Justice Anthony Lalith Shiran Gooneratne
• Justice Janak de Silva
• Justice Arachchige Achala Uthpalavarna Wengappuli
• Justice Mahinda Abeysinghe Samayawardhena
• Justice Arjuna Obeysekara was sworn in as the President of the Court of Appeal.
• Judges appointed to the Court of Appeal are as follows,
• Menaka Wijesundera
• D.N. Samarakoon
• M. Prasantha de Silva
• M.T.M. Laffar
• C.Pradeep Keerthisinghe
• Sampath B. Abayakoon
• M.S.K.B. Wijeratne
• S.U.B. Karalliyadde
• R. Gurusinghe
• G.A.D. Ganepola
• K.K.A.V. Swarnadhipathi
• Mayadunne Corea
• Prabaharan Kumararatnam
• W.N.N.P. Iddawala

“The judicial cadre of both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal has remained static since 1978. Although the necessity of increasing the number of judges in the superior courts has been mooted several times in the past, the number of judges in both courts has remained the same for over 40 years. There have been many advancements in the law and litigation has increased exponentially in this time. However, there has not been a corresponding increase in the number of judges,” the President said.

The efficient administration of justice is not only important in terms of upholding the rule of law, it is also vital to the economic development of this nation, President said, adding that reliable, efficient and effective dispute resolution through the justice system will foster the nation’s progress.

Chief Justice Jayantha C. Jayasuriya, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera, Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga were also present.