News
ASG conferred Silk
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Dilan Ratnayake of the Attorney Generals Department was conferred Silk last week. Mr Ratnayake was invited to take his seat in the inner bar by his Lordship the Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya P.C at a ceremonial sitting held in the Supreme Court on May 8.
Mr.Ratnayake took his oath of office as a President’s Counsel in a Ceremonial Court in the presence of many lawyers, his family, friends and well- wishers.
Mr Ratnayake, joined the Attorney Generals Department as a state counsel in 1997 and has been working there for the past 27 years. He has worked in all criminal courts in our country as a state Counsel and a special prosecutor. During his tenure in the Attorney Generals Department he has handled many complex prosecutions for the state including the Trials – at-Bar cases where General Sarath Fonseka was the accused (White flag case) and the Welikada prisoners’ assassination case of 2012, Wasim Thajudeen suspicious death investigation case, the prosecution against former Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranaike for making a false asset declaration.
He was also a member of the Prosecution team appointed to assist the Special Presidential Commission of inquiry to investigate the 2015 Treasury Bond Transactions.
As a Deputy Solicitor General and a Senior Deputy Solicitor General Mr. Ratnayake was successful in securing convictions in the Welikada Prisoners Assassination Trial-at- Bar case and in the First indictment under the Piracy Act prosecuted in Sri Lanka. He also excelled in handling criminal appeal cases in the Court of Appeal and Appeals on questions of law to the Supreme Court. He has been the Senior Counsel for the state in many fundamental rights cases of importance in this time.
Currently Additional Solicitor General Ratnayake is handling many Writ applications where the prosecutorial discretion of the Attorney General is being challenged in addition to the other multitude of cases he ordinarily manage.
Mr. Ratnayake serves as a consultant to the SEC (Securities and Exchange Commission) and to the CIABOC (Commission to investigate Allegations of Bribery and corruption). He has also conducted prosecutions under these special laws.
Mr Ratnayake is presently the Senior Lecturer and examiner in Criminal Procedure at the Sri Lanka law College. He has been an examiner there since 2017.
President’s Counsel Dilan Ratnayake hails from a family of Legal luminaries. He’s the eldest son of President’s Counsel Aloy. N. Ratnayake and Swineetha Ratnayake. His Grandfather Damian. A.B Ratnayake was Crown Proctor of Kurunegala and the first SLFP Mayor of Kurunegala. Four of Aloy Ratnayake’s brothers were lawyers and two of his sisters were also married to lawyers. In Mr Ratnayake’s generation three of his cousins are lawyers and two of his cousins are married to lawyers.
Presidents Counsel Dilan Ratnayake is married to Virasmi Weerakkody Attorney-at-law and Notary Public practicing in Wattala. Their eldest Son Vivendra is already a lawyer practicing in Criminal law in the chambers of Anuja Premaratne PC. Their second son Dilendra is also a Final Year Law student, and a lawyer in the making awaiting to follow in the footsteps of his father, Grandfather and Great Grandfather.
President’s Counsel Dilan Ratnayake had his primary and secondary education at Royal College Colombo 7. He was a direct entrant to the Sri Lanka Law College and obtained a First Class Honours pass at the Attorney-at-law final examination in 1995. Having taken his oaths as an Attorney-at-law in December 1996 he joined the Attorney General’s Department in 1997. He received his Grant as Presidents Counsel from the President Ranil Wickramasinghe on 20th of March 2024.
Latest News
Heat index, is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Mullaitivu and Vavuniya districts
Warm Weather Advisory
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre of the Department of Meteorology at 3.30 p.m. 27 April 2025, valid for 28 April 2025
The public are warned that the Heat index, the temperature felt on human body is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Mullaitivu and Vavuniya districts.
The Heat Index Forecast is calculated by using relative humidity and maximum temperature and this is the condition that is felt on your body. This is not the forecast of maximum temperature. It is generated by the Department of Meteorology for the next day period and prepared by using global numerical weather prediction model data.
Effect of the heat index on human body is mentioned in the above table and it is prepared on the advice of the Ministry of Health and Indigenous Medical Services.
ACTION REQUIRED
Job sites: Stay hydrated and takes breaks in the shade as often as possible.
Indoors: Check up on the elderly and the sick.
Vehicles: Never leave children unattended.
Outdoors: Limit strenuous outdoor activities, find shade and stay hydrated. Dress: Wear lightweight and white or light-colored clothing.
Note:
In addition, please refer to advisories issued by the Disaster Preparedness & Response Division, Ministry of Health in this regard as well. For further clarifications please contact 011-7446491.
Latest News
People have now started to think of themselves as Sri Lankans sans ethnic or religious divisions- PM
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that for the first time in history, mosques in Kandy had opened their doors to accommodate the needs of devotees visiting the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic and that people have now started to think of themselves as Sri Lankans beyond dividing into ethnicities and religions.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing a public gathering held in the Paragahadeniya area in Kurunegala.
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya further stated:
“This country is undergoing a transformation we expected,so accordingly, we must operate in new ways. People are beginning to feel that we must work towards a new transformation. We can see this change even within our ministries. These days, sometimes when we visit ministries even after 5 PM, and ask if it is possible to have discussions, the officials are always open. Today, public officials are willing to work late into the night, until 9 or 10 PM. Officials have now started working without fear.
Remarkably, for the first time in history, Muslim mosques in Kandy remained open throughout the night to accommodate pilgrims visiting the Temple of the Sacred Tooth Relic. They even provided space for devotees to rest. There were no ethnic or religious tensions. What we saw was respect for other ethnicities and religions. This is happening because there is now a sense of a government that represents all Sri Lankan people, not just Sinhalese, Muslims, or Tamils”.
The event was attended by the candidates for the local government election including the residents of the area.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
The Frontline Socialist Party (FSP) has urged the NPP government to prevent Japan’s Onomichi Dockyard Company from selling its 51% ownership stake in the Colombo Dockyard Limited (CDL) to Indian government-owned Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai, a leading shipbuilder.
FSP spokesman Pubudu Jayagoda told The Island yesterday (27) that the move seemed to be in line with the overall India-Sri Lanka understanding on the basis of the recently signed memorandum on defence cooperation.
Against the backdrop of deteriorating financial situation, the Japanese company has informed the board of directors of CDL of its plans to divest its 51 percent ownership stake in the international shipbuilding and repair company. The Japanese shipbuilder made the announcement in early Dec last year.
Alleging that an agreement has been reached on the sale of Onomichi’s controlling ownership stake to the Indian ship builder, Jayagoda questioned
the move as Mazagon primarily built a range of warships and attack submarines. Jayagoda pointed out that according to Mazagon’s profile, the Indian government-owned business undertaking was involved with European companies engaged in ship and submarine construction.
Addressing a Local Government election meeting at Weeraketiya, Pallekanda, in support of those contesting the May 6 election on the ticket of Jana Aragala Sandhanaya (JAS), the executive committee member of JAS Jayagoda emphasized that in terms of the agreement between Sri Lanka and Japan, Onomichi couldn’t sell its stake without the Sri Lankan government’s approval. Therefore, the NPP government should intervene to halt the Japanese-Indian move, the FSP spokesman said while urging the parliamentary opposition to publicly oppose the planned sale of the Japanese stake.
Among other stakeholders are Sri Lanka Insurance, Sri Lanka Ports Authority and EPF.
By Shamindra Ferdinando
Heat index, is likely to increase up to ‘Caution level’ at some places in Eastern and North-central provinces and Mullaitivu and Vavuniya districts
People have now started to think of themselves as Sri Lankans sans ethnic or religious divisions- PM
Heavy showers about 100 mm are likely at some places in Central, Sabaragamuwa, Uva, Eastern and North-central provinces and in Vavuniya, Mullaittivu and Kurunegala districts.
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