Ms Sajeewani Dilka Lakmali Karunannayake was sworn in as a Judge of the Court of Appeal before President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this afternoon (03).

She previously served as an Additional Solicitor General at the Attorney General’s Department.

The appointment has been made to fill a vacancy on the Court of Appeal.

Secretary to the President Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake was also present on the occasion.

(President’s Media Division)

The sun is going to be directly over the latitudes of Sri Lanka from 28th of August to 07th of September due to its apparent southward relative motion.

The nearest places of Sri Lanka over which the sun is overhead today (03) are Madampe, Thorayaya, Thotagamuwa, Rattota and
Kalavanchikudy about 12.09 noon.

Attorney-at-Law Sugandhika Fernando, on behalf of the Vinivida Foundation, petitioned the Supreme Court yesterday (02), seeking a full bench, excluding Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, to hear the petitions challenging the 22nd Amendment Bill. She also requested that the hearing be suspended immediately until the matter was fully heard and determined.

Among the respondents are Chief Justice Surasena, the first respondent, and Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe. Justices Yasantha Kodagoda, Shiran Gooneratne, Achala Wengappuli and Priyantha Fernando have also been named as respondents.

The petitioner has sought to have quashed the decision of the first respondent to appoint a five-member bench, which she alleged was made in violation of the norms of public law. She also sought a bench comprising all Supreme Court judges, excluding those cited as respondents, to hear the special determination applications on the 22nd Amendment.

The petitioner further contended that Chief Justice Surasena, who is due to retire on December 1, 2026, would be the main beneficiary of the 22nd Amendment.

The hearing of the petitions continued for a second day yesterday (02) before a five-member Supreme Court bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Achala Wengappuli, Arjuna Obeyesekere, Sampath Abeykoon and Gihan Kulatunga.

The hearing, which commenced on Tuesday morning, continued for nearly 12 hours, until 10:30 p.m.

Solicitor General Viraj Dayaratne, appearing for the Attorney General, submitted yesterday that the Government had presented the 22nd Amendment Bill to the Constitution and the Judicature (Amendment) Bill with the objective of expanding and streamlining the country’s judicial system.

After the Solicitor General’s submissions concluded, counsel representing the petitioners requested an opportunity to respond to the Solicitor General and the intervening petitioners. However, the Chief Justice declined to allow the petitioners’ counsel to make further oral submissions, concluded the determination hearing and directed them to file written submissions instead.