JO: Urgently solve issue of HC judge appointment

The Joint Opposition yesterday criticised the procedure of appointment of High Court Judge Ramanathan Kannan and said the Government should immediately resolve the issue without dragging it. It said that several members of the Judicial Service Association (JSA), who had the backing of a political party, had met President Maithripala Sirisena in private to request the appointment of Kannan. “Since it was a group of JSA members, who made the

This is one of the many instances where the Government had blundered. It should resolve the issue immediately because we know the Government has a knack for dragging issues without finding solutions to them

recommendation to appoint the judge, the President had instructed President’s Secretary over the appointment. Then, the President’s Secretariat had written to Judicial Services Commission to make the appointment. However, the JSA later on denied making such a recommendation,” G. L. Peiris speaking on behalf of the JO said.

He said the appointment of a High Court Judge could only be made by the President on the recommendations of the Judicial Service Commission and the Attorney General.

“This is one of the many instances where the Government had blundered. It should resolve the issue immediately because we know the Government has a knack for dragging issues without finding solutions to them,” he said.

He said the proposed Ceylon Electricity Board’s (CEB) strike on Thursday and Government Medical Officers Association’s strike on Friday were results of Government’s inability to solve issues.