In a major judicial overhaul, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake appoints 18 new High Court Judges, including 17 judicial officers and a Senior State Counsel, reshaping Sri Lanka’s legal landscape.
President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has formally appointed 18 new High Court Judges in a significant move for Sri Lanka’s judiciary. The President’s Media Division confirmed the appointments, which were made under the constitutional authority granted to the head of state.
The letters of appointment were officially presented to the new judges by President Dissanayake during a ceremony held at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon. This judicial appointment marks an important development in the structure of the country’s legal system.
According to the official announcement, the newly appointed cohort includes 17 Special Class Judicial Officers currently serving in various judicial capacities across the country, along with one Senior State Counsel from the Attorney General’s Department. These appointments demonstrate the government’s commitment to strengthening the judicial branch with experienced legal professionals.
The presidential appointments were executed according to Article 111 (2) of the Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, which outlines the proper procedure for judicial appointments to the High Court bench. This constitutional provision ensures the proper legal framework for such significant judicial appointments.
The complete list of newly appointed High Court Judges includes:
- Mr. S.S.K. Vithana – District Judge
- Mr. A.M.I.S. Attanayake – District Judge
- Mr. A.M.M. Riyal – District Judge
- Mr. D.P. Mudunkotuwa – District Judge
- Mr. S.B.H.M.S. Herath – Additional District Judge
- Mr. J. Kajanideepalan – District Judge
- Mr. D.M.D.C. Bandara – Senior Assistant Secretary, Judicial Service Commission
- Ms. H.M.B.R. Wijeratne – Additional District Judge
- Mr. D.M.A. Seneviratne – Additional District Judge
- Mr. A.A. Anandaraja – Magistrate
- Mr. G.N. Perera – District Judge
- Mr. A. Judeson – District Judge
- Mrs. W.K.D.S. Weeratunga – District Judge
- Mr. R.B.M.D.R. Weligodapitiya – District Judge
- Ms. K.D.N.V. Lankapura – Magistrate
- Mr. D.M.R.D. Dissanayake – District Judge
- Mr. M.I.M. Rizvi – District Judge
- Mrs. A. Jayalakshi de Silva – Senior State Counsel
This substantial appointment of High Court Judges represents an important development in Sri Lanka’s judicial system, potentially affecting court operations and legal proceedings throughout the country. The new judges bring diverse backgrounds and experiences to their positions, with representation from both the judicial service and the state counsel system.
