25 President's Counsel to be appointed

23 December 2018 11:37 pm

Twenty-five Attorneys-at-law will swear in as President’s Counsel (PC) on January 18 at a ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court. The swearing-in as President’s Counsel is also known as 'taking silk'.

Attorneys-at-law who have practised as counsels in courts either in the official or unofficial bar are eligible to be appointed as PCs. Once appointed, one doesn’t lose the title even if they are appointed to the Judiciary.

Ponnambalam Ramanathan, Thomas de Sampayo and Frederick Dornhorst were the first to be appointed as King’s Counsel in 1903. It has been the practice since then to appoint lawyers who have served the country for long periods with professionalism and eminence.

The names of Attorneys to be appointed as President’s Counsel are:

Chinthamanie Moonemalle Ballale
Satendra Maithri Guneratne
Mohamed Sheriffdeen Mohamed Hussain
Pilimathalawa Wijesundara Mudiyanselage Suriyashantha Bandara Iddawela
Dulip Flavien Raphael Jayamaha
Madurapperumage Chandrasiri Jayaratne
Liyana Mudiyanselage Vijitha Nandana Jayawickrema
Singhanathage Tharapathi Jayanaga
Upali Sarath Kongahage
Sunil Kithsirimevan Lankathilleka
Arunachalam Muttu Krishnan
 Bamunuge Joseph Bernard Shanthi Perera
Subramaniam Paramarajah
Edmund Sirimevan Rajapakse
Mohan Rudolph Abeyratna Ratwatte
Shantha Chulabaya Rajapakse
Akmeemana Palliya Guruge Sarathchandra
Abdul Wahid Abdul Sathar
Palli Mulla Kapugamage Nelson de Silva
Velayuthapilli Thavarajah
Sarath Devasena Wijesinghe
Luckshan Mahinda Wijesundara
Priyal Thusitha Wijayweera
Saumya Amarasekera
Geethaka Goonawardene.