President Gotabaya Rajapaksa yesterday (1) pledged to guarantee judicial independence. Marking a new milestone in the judicial system of the country, 20 new superior court judges were sworn in before President Gotabaya Rajapaksa at the Presidential Secretariat.

They comprised six new Judges of the Supreme Court and 14 new Judges of the Court of Appeal

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, addressing the gathering, pledged to support the independence of the judiciary and ensure its functioning is free of politicization and other forms of interference.

“The judicial cadre of both the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal has remained static since 1978. Although the necessity of increasing the number of judges in the superior courts has been mooted several times in the past, the number of judges in both courts has remained the same for over 40 years. There have been many an advancement in the law and litigation has increased exponentially in this time. However, there has not been a corresponding increase in the number of judges”.

The efficient administration of justice is not only important in terms of upholding the rule of law, it is also vital to the economic development of this nation, President said adding that reliable, efficient and effective dispute resolution through the justice system will foster the nation’s progress.

Chief Justice Jayantha C Jayasuriya, Secretary to the President P.B. Jayasundera and Principal Advisor to the President Lalith Weeratunga were also present.

Judges appointed to the Supreme Court:

1. Justice A. H. M. Dilip Nawaz

2. Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe

3. Justice Anthony Lalith Shiran Gooneratne

4. Justice Janak de Silva

5. Justice Arachchige Achala Uthpalavarna Wengappuli

6. Justice Mahinda Abeysinghe Samayawardhena

Justice Arjuna Obeysekara was sworn in as the President of the Court of Appeal.

Judges appointed to the Court of Appeal

1.Justice Menaka Wijesundera

2.Justice D.N. Samarakoon

3.Justice M Prasantha de Silva

4.Justice M.T.M. Laffar

5.Justice C. Pradeep Keerthisinghe

6.Justice Sampath B. Abayakoon

7.Justice M. S. K. B. Wijeratne

8.Justice S. U. B. Karalliyadde

9.Justice R. Gurusinghe

10.Justice G. A. D. Ganepola

11.Justice K. K. A. V. Swarnadhipathi

12.Justice Mayadunne Corea

13. Justice Prabaharan Kumararatnam

14. Justice W. N. N. P. Iddawala