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Justice Kumudini complains of male domination at senior levels, absence of a woman head of BASL

Published

2 months ago

2026/03/5

Supreme Court Justice Kumudini Wickramasinghe

Judge of the Supreme Court Justice Kumudini Wickramasinghe has recently presented a stark analysis of the legal profession’s gender disparity, noting that in spite of women entering the legal field in substantial numbers, their representation dwindles at senior levels. She has highlighted critical statistics and the fact that only two women currently serve in the Supreme Court, none in the Court of Appeal, and that there has never been a woman President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL).

“Inclusive leadership is not satisfied by entry-level participation,” Justice Wickramasinghe said. “It concerns who occupies the apex of institutional authority, who shapes doctrine, who speaks for the profession. These figures are not merely statistics; they are indicators of work yet unfinished.”

Justice Wickramasinghe said so at a seminar organised on the eve of International Women’s Day by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Women Lawyers’ Association (SLWLA). She underscored the need to address the systemic barriers preventing women from reaching the apex of the legal profession. Justice Wickramasinghe addressed the gathering as the Chief Guest.

BASL President Rajeev Amarasuriya, in his address, framed inclusivity not as charity or tokenism, but as “structural fairness.” He raised an important question being ‘who bears the responsibility of inclusivity’ and addressed the vital role of leadership in inclusivity. Furthermore, Amarasuriya challenged the profession to address the “gap between what we see coming into the profession and what we see at the top,” and clarified that such disparity did not stem from a lack of competence or commitment but from deep rooted practices and structural issues.

A dynamic panel discussion, moderated by Attorney-at-Law Tanushka Gunawardane, explored the multifaceted nature of inclusive leadership. The panel featured Justice Wickramasinghe, Constitutional Council Member Professor Wasantha Seneviratne (joining online), Senior Instructing Attorney Shiranthi Gunawardhana, and corporate leader Yanina Weerasinghe.

Professor Wasantha Seneviratne distinguished between mere representation and true participation, stating that inclusion becomes meaningful only when women have the “agency and authority to make decisions.” She emphasised that inclusive leadership is both a moral obligation and a pragmatic governance strategy.

Senior Instructing Attorney Shiranthi Gunawardhana shared personal anecdotes from her 50-year career, urging senior lawyers to act as mentors rather than gatekeepers. She stressed the importance of creating space for young female lawyers by offering flexibility and support to help them balance professional and personal responsibilities.

Yanina Weerasinghe, Head of Legal at Brandix, argued that true inclusion is measured by influence, not optics. “Diversity is being present; inclusivity is being influential,” she explained, warning against tokenism and calling for “cerebral opportunities” where women are selected, based on talent, and given a genuine voice in decision-making.

Justice Wickramasinghe addressed the relationship between judicial hierarchy and inclusion, asserting that authority and accessibility can coexist. “A judge can be firm in decisions while remaining approachable,” she said, adding that power exercised with transparency and humility strengthens, rather than weakens, institutional legitimacy.

The seminar also heard from Dilani Yatawaka, Managing Director/CEO of Ideal Motors, who shared her perspective as a female leader in the male-dominated automotive sector. She reinforced the critical role of supportive superiors and societal encouragement to enable women to ascend the career ladder while managing family responsibilities.

BASL Women Lawyers’ Professional and Career Development Committee Chair Indika Nagaratne Koththagoda in her welcome address said that the distinguished gathering was honoured to have Her Ladyship Justice Kumudini Wickramasinghe, Judge of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka, as the Chief Guest and a key panellist and also welcomed the other panellists Attorneys-at-Law Professor Wasantha Seneviratne, Ms. Shiranthi Gunawardena and Yanina Weerasinghe for agreeing to share their insights on the subject during the ensuing panel discussion to be moderated by Attorney-at-Law Ms. Tanushka Gunawardane.

In her closing remarks, Nalani Manatunga, Co-Chairperson of the BASL Women Lawyers’ Professional and Career Development Committee, challenged the audience to reflect on the true meaning of leadership. “A position gives authority, but leadership gives direction,” she said. “Inclusive leadership is not about occupying space; it’s about creating space. Let our leadership not be measured by the chairs we occupy, but by the doors we leave open.”

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Advisory for Severe Lightning issued to the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, North-central, Southern, Uva provinces, and Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts

Published

2 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Advisory for Severe Lightning
Issued by the Natural Hazards Early Warning Centre
Issued at 12.00 noon 21 April 2026 valid for the period until 11.30 p.m. 21 April 2026

Thundershowers accompanied with severe lightning are likely to occur in the Western, Sabaragamuwa, Central, North-western, Northcentral, Southern, Uva provinces, and in Mannar, Vavuniya, Ampara, Batticaloa districts after 1.00 p.m.

There may be temporary localized strong winds during thundershowers. General public is kindly requested to take adequate precautions to minimize damages caused by lightning activity.

ACTION REQUIRED:

The Department of Meteorology advises that people should:
 Seek shelter, preferably indoors and never under trees.
 Avoid open areas such as paddy fields, tea plantations and open water bodies during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using wired telephones and connected electric appliances during thunderstorms.
 Avoid using open vehicles, such as bicycles, tractors and boats etc.
 Beware of fallen trees and power lines.
 For emergency assistance contact the local disaster management authorities

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Six Foreign Envoys Present Credentials to President Dissanayake

Published

4 hours ago

2026/04/21

Priyan

Two High Commissioners, three Ambassadors and an Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See presented their credentials to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake at the Presidential Secretariat this morning (20).

The ceremony, held at 10.00 a.m., followed the formal order of precedence, with the envoys representing Papua New Guinea, Somalia, Luxembourg, the Holy See, Pakistan and Kuwait.

Accordingly, diplomats who presented their credentials were:

01. Vincent Sumale, High Commissioner-designate of Papua New Guinea (Based in New Delhi)

02. Abdullahi Mohammed Odowa, Ambassador-designate of Somalia (Based in New Delhi)

03. Christian Biever, Ambassador-designate of Luxembourg (Based in New Delhi)

04. Monsignor Andrzej Józwowicz, Apostolic Nuncio-designate of the Holy See

05. Major General (Retd) Nayyar Naseer, High Commissioner-designate of Pakistan

06. Saleh Mubarak Al-Sarawi, Ambassador-designate of Kuwait

Following the presentation of credentials, the President engaged in a cordial discussion with them. The Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, and the Secretary to the President, Dr Nandika Sanath Kumanayake, were also in attendance.

News

Rs 13 bn NDB fraud: Int’l forensic audit ordered

Published

14 hours ago

2026/04/21

Thilina Walpola

The National Development Bank PLC (NDB), in consultation with the Central Bank, will soon appoint an international firm to conduct a comprehensive forensic audit into the Rs 13.2 billion bank fraud, currently being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID).

Controversy surrounds the failure on the part of relevant authorities to detect the massive scam that certain employees started perpetrating in mid-2024.

Declaring that day-to-day developments, relating to the NDB PLC, were under scrutiny, the Central Bank said that the NDB, in consultation with CBSL, was in the process of finalising arrangements to engage a leading international firm, with experts from overseas, to conduct a comprehensive forensic audit into the incident.

The Central Bank stated: “The scope of this audit will apart from matters directly related to the commission of this fraud, also fully address and assess any failures on compliance with regulatory requirements on control, oversight and governance during the period in which the fraudulent transactions took place. The forensic audit is expected to commence shortly, and its progress, including any interim findings as well as the final report, will be submitted directly to CBSL who will directly engage with the auditors to the extent considered necessary during the audit.

In parallel, CBSL has directed NDB to take immediate and expeditious measures to strengthen its internal controls and governance processes, with particular focus on addressing identified lapses. NDB has also been required to commission an independent third-party review to assess the adequacy and effectiveness of its policies, procedures, systems, and internal controls.

NDB continues to meet all regulatory requirements relating to capital and liquidity. CBSL remains in close and continuous engagement with the Board and management of NDB, as well as other relevant stakeholders, and stands ready to take any further measures necessary to safeguard the interests of depositors and ensure the stability of the financial system. There is no evidence of any other regulated financial institution suffering any loss arising from the incident at NDB and the public are requested not to be misled by any statements to the contrary made in various fora.”

NDB board directors include Sujeewa Mudalige – former Managing Partner of PwC / Past President of CA Sri Lanka, Hasitha Premaratne – Managing Director of Brandix Group, Shanil Fernando – founding member of Virtusa Corporation and Co-Founder of Sysco Labs, Bernard Sinniah – former Managing Director of Citibank and Kasturi Chellaraja – former Group CEO of Hemas Holdings PLC.

The external auditors of NDB Bank PLC is Ernst & Young.

Meanwhile, the Committee on Public Finance (CoPF) that recently met under the Chairmanship of Member of Parliament Dr. Harsha de Silva observed, with serious concern, that there appear to have been considerable lapses in corporate governance at the bank, deficiencies in supervision by the relevant departments of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, and undue delays in the reporting of material information.

The Committee firmly underscored that such shortcomings are unacceptable and directed that immediate corrective measures be undertaken. It further emphasised that it will continue to closely monitor this matter and exercise stringent oversight to ensure full accountability, transparency, and the safeguarding of public confidence in the financial system.

The NDB issue was dealt with when the Governor of the Central Bank Dr. Nandalal Weerasinghe, along with members of the Governing Board, the Monetary Policy Board, and senior officials, attended the meeting as part of the Central Bank’s statutory presentation to Parliament conducted once every four months.