COLOMBO — Gampaha Chief Magistrate Bandula Gunaratne has been transferred to the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute with immediate effect, shortly after requesting contempt of court proceedings against Inspector General of Police Priyantha Weerasooriya over an alleged failure to comply with a judicial order.
The transfer was communicated through a letter signed by Judicial Service Commission (JSC) Secretary Prasanna Alwis on November 6, 2026.
Kosala Senadheera has been appointed as the new Gampaha Chief Magistrate and is scheduled to assume duties on Monday, November 9.
The timing of the transfer has drawn attention because it follows a dispute between the Magistrate and the IGP over police practices involving allegedly baseless legal proceedings against members of the public.
Court Order Against Baseless Police Cases
The dispute arose after Magistrate Gunaratne directed the IGP to issue an islandwide circular instructing police officers to refrain from initiating unfounded legal proceedings against innocent citizens.
The directive followed concerns about the institution of unjustified cases, including an incident in which police filed two cases against the same suspect on the same day involving identical drug possession allegations.
When questioned by the Magistrate, police reportedly acknowledged that the duplication had resulted from an error and sought permission to withdraw one of the cases.
Gunaratne subsequently directed that compensation be paid to the affected suspect and instructed the IGP to issue a circular intended to prevent similar incidents.
Following the alleged failure to implement that directive, the Magistrate made a written request to the President of the Court of Appeal seeking contempt of court proceedings against the IGP.
His request alleged that the failure to comply with the judicial order had undermined the authority of the court.
The referral was a request for legal action and did not itself constitute a finding of contempt by the Court of Appeal.
IGP’s Complaint to Judicial Service Commission
The dispute subsequently reached the Judicial Service Commission after the IGP reportedly lodged a complaint concerning Magistrate Gunaratne’s conduct.
The Commission requested the Magistrate’s observations regarding the complaint.
Reports indicate that Gunaratne submitted his response before the transfer order was issued.
Shortly afterwards, JSC Secretary Prasanna Alwis notified him of his immediate transfer to the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute.
The Commission has not publicly established that the transfer was connected to the Magistrate’s request for contempt proceedings.
No official explanation confirming the grounds for the transfer has been independently verified.
Judicial Independence and the Commission’s Authority
Under Article 111H of the Sri Lankan Constitution, the Judicial Service Commission is empowered to appoint, promote, transfer and exercise disciplinary control over judicial officers.
Consequently, the transfer of a Magistrate falls within the Commission’s constitutional authority.
Nevertheless, the timing of this particular decision has raised questions about the circumstances surrounding the transfer and its potential implications for judicial independence.
A transfer occurring shortly after a dispute involving a senior law enforcement official does not, by itself, establish improper influence or interference.
Determining whether the decision was a routine administrative measure or involved other considerations would require an examination of the Commission’s stated reasons and the relevant proceedings.
The circumstances also highlight the importance of maintaining public confidence in the independence of judicial officers when exercising their authority over law enforcement agencies.
With Kosala Senadheera expected to assume duties on November 9, the outstanding questions concern the grounds for Gunaratne’s transfer and the status of his request for contempt proceedings against the IGP.
