By
Resignation of Court of Appeal President Makes Ripples
Nissanka Bandula Karunarathna, the President of the Court of Appeal (CA), is set to resign . This decision follows the National People’s Power (NPP) Government’s plans to bring an impeachment motion against him.
Retirement Schedule: Justice Karunarathna was due to retire on June 16, 2025, when he reaches the age of 63, the mandatory retirement age for Court of Appeal judges.
Impeachment Motion: A deputy minister had confirmed that the government was planning to bring an impeachment motion against Karunarathna, citing concerns about his recent performance.
Attorney General’s Actions: Following discussions between Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe and President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, the Attorney General’s Department decided to fast-track 11 serious criminal prosecutions.
Appointments to Fill CA Vacancies: Chief Justice Murdu Fernando has forwarded the names of four senior high court judges to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for consideration to fill existing vacancies in the Court of Appeal. The nominees include judges from various high courts (Kandy, Colombo, Trincomalee) and a civil court judge.
Resignation and Leave: Justice Karunarathna began his pre-retirement leave on January 31, 2025. Before going on leave, he organized a function to thank his staff.
Acting President Appointment: With Justice Karunarathna on pre-retirement leave, an acting president will be appointed to the Court of Appeal.
Constitutional Council’s Role: The Constitutional Council (CC) is scheduled to meet on February 5, 2025, to approve the appointments for the Court of Appeal vacancies.
These are the factual developments surrounding the situation. The context involves a combination of legal and political actions related to the potential impeachment of the Court of Appeal President and the ongoing judicial appointments.
