05 May 2014 - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
In recognition of his skill, competence and integrity, he was appointed as a President’s Counsel by the President, and called to the inner Bar in the year 2012
Senior PCs want a man like me
“I was offered this appointment long time ago about a year or so ago, but I refused the offer then. However,most of the senior President’s Counsel have persuaded me to accept it this time, and they have insisted that people like me should be in the judiciary.” “Joining the judiciary is comparatively, financially very curtailing but I can afford to accept it that because my children are grown up. I am a person who is capable to take up appontment. Many senior counsel advised me that it is people like me from the bar who should go there. I know the difficulties faced by the members of the bar. When asked about the concerns raised by various parities including Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), the body representing legal fraternity he said, “ I am not here to talk about other people. I am not a person who would refer to people and criticise or praise people. I do mind only my business. |
Every MP who voted for the 18th Amendement must take blame
![]() “ There have been controversial appointments made by successive governments to the judiciary. Some of these appointments that were opposed by the bar later turned out to be good appointments. There have also been instances where appointments welcomed by the bar and the public did not live up to the general expactations. The appointment of Neville Samarakone who was an executive committee member of the UNP is a case point. He turned out to be one of the most independent judges. However, there needs to be national consensus among all parties and the general public in appointments to posts such as Judges of the Supreme Court, the Attorney General and the Elections Commissioner. It was in view of this fact that a Constitutional Council was created where all political parties and various ethnic groups were represented and the Constituional Council thus established worked well. The 18th amendment did away with all this and it was a very big dissapintment.
What we are now witnessing are the ill effects of the 18th Amendment. Under the 17th Amendment such controversies would not have arisen. The 18th Amendment is a big mistake and the Government which brought it and every MP who voted for the 18th amendment should take the entire blame for the predicament we as a country are now faced with. |
‘President appoints whom he likes’
“As for the latest appointment, I don’t know whether it is good or a bad, because I don’t know Mr. Jayawardena,”. ![]() “There should be such a criteria. Unfortunately there is nothing like that,” Gunasekara said when asked about the qualification and criteria of appointing persons to the apex court.
“The appointing person the President, consults whomever he likes, whereas the recomendation should be by the Constitutional Council. But now there is no Constitutional Council, instead the President appoints whoever he likes.” |
“Death blow to judiciary”
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“This is a clear move to appoint those who act according to the whims and fancies of the rulers to the judiciary and make it another institution that carries out the wishes of the Executive President.” We urge everyone who respects democratic values to get together to fight against this. |
“Appointment is against SC ruling,”
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Following is a ‘career brief’ of Priyantha Jayawardena PC-circulated to the media
Mr. Priyantha Jayawardena, President’s Counsel, the newly appointed Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, is due to take his oaths before President Mahinda Rajapaksa shortly. |
Bar Association to examine Mr. Jayawardena’s bio-data
The Executive Committee of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is to meet today and to examine the career brief circulated in the media, claiming there were “discrepancies” in the brief. |
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