BASL: Do honest judges have no place?

28 September 2014 09:37 am

The President of Sri Lanka Bar Association (BASL) observed that a well experienced, an honest and upright judge in the Court of Appeal who sat in the judgment in a matter that was filed by the 43rd Chief Justice and issued writ quashing the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) proceedings, was being repeatedly overlooked for promotion.

BASL president Upul Jayasuriya made this remarks while speaking at the opening of the multi-million rupee state-of-the-art auditorium of the BASL head office at Hulftsdorp on Saturday (27) and he asked the executive “Do honest judges have no place in the judiciary”?

“A well experienced and an honest and upright Judge Justice Anil Gunaratna is being repeatedly overlooked for promotion. I have to ask this question from the Executive. Do honest judges have no place in the Judiciary? I hope even at this late stage that this grave error would be rectified maintaining the dignity of the Judiciary,” the BASL president stated.

He said two judges late Justice Sri Sriskandaraja and Justice Anil Gunaratna who sat in Judgment in a matter that was filed by the 43rd Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake and issued writ quashing the PSC proceedings were being frowned upon with the wrath of the Executive depriving their due promotions.

“Late Justice Sri Sriskandaraja died with a broken heart,” he added.

The newly opened BASL auditorium was named as Dr. H.W. Jayewardene Auditorium in memory of the country’s first BASL President.

Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe, US Ambassador to Sri Lanka Michele Sison, Attorney General Palitha Fernando, Mrs. H.W. Jayawardena, members of the Jayawardena family and Senior Attorneys were present in the occasion. (Lakmal Sooriyagoda)