{"id":237100,"date":"2024-05-30T21:08:35","date_gmt":"2024-05-30T15:38:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/?p=237100"},"modified":"2024-05-31T15:13:20","modified_gmt":"2024-05-31T09:43:20","slug":"a-defeated-president-cannot-appoint-the-chief-justice","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.colombotelegraph.com\/index.php\/a-defeated-president-cannot-appoint-the-chief-justice\/","title":{"rendered":"A Defeated President Cannot Appoint The Chief Justice!"},"content":{"rendered":"

There is speculation that President Ranil Wickremesinghe<\/a><\/span> sought the approval of the Constitutional Council to extend the term of office of Attorney-General Sanjay Rajaratnam<\/a><\/span> because he wished to appoint Rajaratnam as Chief Justice when the current Chief Justice retires towards the end of the year after the presidential election.<\/p>\n

A lawyer was heard to say in the Law Library canteen that \u2018Machang, No worries. A defeated President has no power of appointment. I am only sorry that nice lady Ayesha will retire without getting appointed as AG!\u2019, a reference to Mrs Ayesha Jinasena, Solicitor-General who would have succeeded Rajaratnam as Attorney-General. What was implied is that as Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya retires after the Presidential election, Wickremesinghe would be a defeated President by that time.<\/p>\n

When President Mahinda Rajapaksa<\/a><\/span> wanted to extend the term of his close friend Attorney-General C.R. (\u2018Bulla\u2019) de Silva beyond 60 years, the Centre for Policy Alternatives challenged the move in the Supreme Court by way of a fundamental rights application. The case came up before a bench presided over by Sarath N. Silva, Chief Justice. Chief Justice Silva expressed his displeasure over the move and asked State Counsel to indicate clearly to the Court on the next day whether C. R. De Silva wished his term to be extended. On the next day, State Counsel informed the Court that C.R. De Silva would be retiring upon reaching 60 years, the retirement age of public officers.<\/p>\n

Sources close to Colombo Telegraph say that pressure is being brought on the Chief Justice to constitute a bench which will give a favourable decision to Attorney General Sanjaya Rajaratnam when the attempt to extend his services beyond the retirement age is challenged in the Supreme Court. Our sources also say the Chief Justice has been told to nominate a bench which includes himself, Justice Nawaz and Justice Kumudini Wickremasinghe to decide on the matter.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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