No seniority requirement for next AG: Govt. to Bar Association

Colombo, July 09 (Daily Mirror) -  In response to queries from the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) regarding the appointment of the next Attorney General following the retirement of Sanjay Rajaratnam, President's Secretary Saman Ekanayake clarified that there is no constitutional obligation to appoint the senior-most officer from the Attorney General’s Department based solely on seniority.

Ekanayake underscored the President's authority, as outlined in Article 41C of the Constitution, to appoint the Attorney General with the approval of the Constitutional Council. He pointed to historical precedents where individuals such as HSarath N. Silva, PC, and Mohan Peiris, PC, were appointed from outside the department's senior ranks, highlighting the flexibility exercised in past appointments.

The President's Secretary referenced the 2016 appointment process under President Maithripala Sirisena, where multiple candidates were considered before Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC, was ultimately chosen as Attorney General, further emphasizing the importance of evaluating all qualified candidates.

In their correspondence, the BASL had advocated for appointing the most senior officer from within the Attorney General’s Department, citing reasons of continuity, stability, and respect for internal hierarchy. Secretary Chathura A. Galhena signed the BASL's letter to President Ranil Wickremesinghe, stressing the critical role of the Attorney General in upholding the rule of law and ensuring justice administration.