BASL asks Minister Wijeyadasa to clarify High Court Judges cadre

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka in a strongly worded statement has called on the Minister of Justice Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe to justify claims that there were that there no vacancies in the High Court Judges cadre.

"The BASL notes that the Minister of Justice has said that the appointment of a High Court Commissioner in question was made due to there being no vacancy in the cadre of High Court Judges.. The BASL has verified this and the number of HC Judges functioning in office is 70 whereas the law provides for a cadre of 75." the statement added.

"The BASL notes that the Minister of Justice has said that the appointment of a High Court Commissioner in question was made due to there being no vacancy in the cadre of High Court Judges. The BASL has verified this statement and the number of HC Judges functioning was 70 whereas the law provides for a cadre of 75." the statement added.

The BASL notes that one vacancy which occurred was the elevation of Justice Devika Tennekoon from the High Court to the Court of Appeal which was in November 2015. But no appointments have been made since then.

"The BASL calls upon the Minister of Justice and the Judicial Services Commission (JSC) to release to the public the list of sitting judges of the High Court and confirm the inaccuracy of the Minister's position."

The Association has also called for the immediate reversal of the questionable appointment of a High Court Commissioner and requests that the High Court Judges' Association takes a principled and responsible stand on the matter.

Repeated attempts to contact Minister Wijeyadasa for a comment proved futile at the time this edition went to press.