By Priyantha Gamage –

The Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association categorically condemn the threats, intimidation and the reported attempts to influence the Judicial Service Commission and / or its Members by any person of whatever status and calls to protect the independence of the judiciary and to allow them to discharge their service freely. 

Chief Justice

It is in this backdrop, the Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association passed a Resolution at the Special Meeting held on 02nd October 2012 at the Kegalle Law Library, unanimously and unreservedly condemning this unprecedented and outrageous pressure and persecution.

The Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association unanimously   condemn the various forms of threats, intimidation and   attempts to influence upon the Judiciary, with the contempt it   deserves.

They expressed their unequivocal solidarity and unconditional trust and confidence in the present Judiciary and particularly Her Ladyship the Chief Justice and other Honourable Members of the Judicial Service Commission, whatever cometh.

The Lawyers said that they believed in the dire need to safeguard the safety of the Judiciary, a quintessential organ even in a most rudimentary Democracy; and also in the pivotal need to protect the independence of the judiciary and to allow the same to discharge its service without being intimidated by influences, threats or undue criticism.

They unanimously condemned the reported unjustifiable attacks on the Judiciary, the Judicial Service Commission and their respective Members by certain Media Institutions and personnel and highlight the need to respect the Law of the land as well as human dignity and decorum and the solemn need to seek solace of the amply available provisions of the law rather than engaging in vile, vicious and vituperative personal slanders and obloquy.

They categorically deplored the concerted attempts to criticise and condemn the Judgments of the various levels of Judiciary from the Magistrate’s Courts to the Apex Court and the apex Judicial Administrative Body in the country through Media and public protests, specifically quoting the live and lurid incidents in Mannar, the protest march outside the Parliament against the Supreme Court ruling on the Draft Bill on Divineguma and the latest Statements of the Judicial Service Commission.

They resolved to call upon the President and the Government of Sri Lanka to, respect the independence of the Judiciary and to implement the much delayed provisions of the 17^th Amendment to establish the much needed Independent Commissions.

They also called upon the Hon. Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police (I.G.P) to ensure the personal safety of all Members of the Judiciary, to be vigilant and to take prompt legal action against anyone irrespective of their colour or calibre for any attempts to bring harm/ defame them in any way, whatsoever.

They re-affirmed their unanimous solidarity with the Judicial Service Commission as well as all the members of the Judiciary of the Island and assure of their cooperation and contribution towards any action as members of the Legal Profession to condemn any attempts to thwart the hitherto holy system into a mockery; to bring the culprits to justice; to uphold the integrity, independence and impartiality of the judiciary; and to ensure a non-recurrence of this nature.

We, the Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association call upon all     the Members of the Legal fraternity  to  condemn this sordid   trend and to unite as professionals to  preserve the right of   every citizen to a just and a fair judicial  system and all the   integral values of a functioning democracy.

Secretary – Priyantha Gamage

THE RESOLUTION:

The Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association unanimously passed the following Resolution at the Special Meeting held on 02nd October 2012 at the Kegalle Law Library:

We, the Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association unanimously condemn the various forms of threats, intimidation and attempts to influence upon the Judiciary, with the contempt it deserves.

We express our unequivocal solidarity with and our unconditional trust and confidence in the present Judiciary and particularly Her Ladyship the Chief Justice and other Honourable Members of the Judicial Service Commission, whatever cometh.

We believe in the dire need to safeguard the safety of the Judiciary, a quintessential organ of even in a most rudimentary Democracy.

We firmly believe in the pivotal need to protect the independence of the judiciary and to allow the same to discharge its service without being intimidated by influences, threats or undue criticism.

 We also unanimously condemn the reported unjustifiable attacks on the Judiciary, the Judicial Service Commission and their respective Members by certain Media Institutions and personnel and highlight the need to respect the Law of the land as well as human dignity and decorum; and the solemn need to seek solace of the amply available provisions of the law rather than engaging in vile, vicious and vituperative personal slanders and obloquy.

 We categorically deplore the concerted attempts to unduly criticise and condemn the Judgments of the various levels of Judiciary from the Magistrate’s Courts to the Apex Court and the apex Judicial Administrative Body in the country, through Media and public protests. We specifically quote the live and lurid incidents in Mannar, the protest march outside the Parliament against the Supreme Court ruling on the Draft Bill on Divineguma and the latest Statements of the Judicial Service Commission.

It is in this backdrop that, we  resolve to call upon the President and the Government of Sri Lanka to, respect the independence of the Judiciary and to implement the much delayed provisions of the 17^th Amendment to establish the much needed Independent Commissions.

We also call upon the Hon. Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police (I.G.P) to ensure the personal safety of all Members of the Judiciary and to take prompt legal action against anyone irrespective of their colour or calibre for any attempts to bring harm on / defame them in any way, whatsoever.

We re-affirm our unanimous solidarity with the Judicial Service Commission as well as all the members of the Judiciary of the Island and assure of our cooperation and contribution towards any action as members of the Legal Profession to condemn any attempts to thwart the hitherto holy system into a mockery; to bring the culprits to justice; to uphold the integrity, independence and impartiality of the judiciary; and to ensure a non-recurrence of this nature.

We, the Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association call upon all the Members of the Legal fraternity to condemn this sordid trend and to unite as professionals to preserve the right of every citizen to a just and a fair judicial system and all the integral values of a functioning democracy.

Secretary

Priyantha Gamage

-On behalf of the Members of the Kegalle Lawyers’ Association