Chief Justice Asoka De Silva
ustice Asoka de Silva took oaths as Sri Lanka’s 32nd Chief Justice (CJ) before President Mahinda Rajapaksa on 8th June 2009. Justice Asoka de Silva, a senior-most Sri Lankan judge and a legal luminary, has been serving in Sri Lankan courts for the past 37 years before being climaxed in his career as Sri Lanka’s 32nd Chief Justice. Senior Presidential Advisor MP Basil Rajapaksa, Presidential Secretary Lalith Weerathunga and Defense Secretary Gotabaha Rajapaksa were also present at the ceremony. His Lordship was born on 17th May 1946, and is a distinguished old boy of St. Anthony’s College, Katugastota. After graduating from the University of Ceylon in 1971, He was enrolled as an Advocate of the Supreme Court in December 1972. After a short period in the private Bar he joined the Attorney General’s Department on 2nd April 1974. He became a Senior Deputy Solicitor General on 1987 and after serving 22 years in the Attorney General’s Department he was appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal on 12th October 1995.Chief Justice Asoka De Silva became the President of the Court of Appeal in February 2001 and later elevated to the Supreme Court on 01st August 2001.
His Lordship has obtained a Masters Degree in Administrative Law in 1983/84 from the University of Colombo and has done a Postgraduate Diploma in criminology at the University of Illinois in the United States of America. His Lordship served as a lecturer in Law College as well as in the Faculty of Law. Chief Justice Asoka De Silva represented Sri Lanka at the Sustainable Development Conference in Brazil and also served as a member of the National Task Force to formulate the National Environmental Policy.
On 18th March 2004, at the Antonian Awards of Excellence, Chief Justice Asoka De Silva was awarded the “Antonian Excellence Medallion” for the honor brought to his alma mater by achieving excellence in the field of Law. Justice J.A.N. De Silva was appointed to the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda as a permanent judge by the United Nations Secretary General, Kofi Annan on 3rd August 2004. Justice Asoka De Silva served the ICTR as one of the 16 permanent judges in the tribunal in trial chamber II.
New Chief Justice’s love for the Nation, passion for the system, personal and professional kindness, conduct, simple and unassuming ways of living and impartiality makes him an ideal candidate to Head the judiciary when the Nation is in need of a non-confrontative Government of “Harmony and Reconciliation Unity and Impartiality” to reach the targets of the State amidst the current world crisis and the fierce competition among Nations. He is a Traditionalist who believes in serving the Nation within the parameters of law without being explorative and controversial and not as an activist on religious, political and social fabrics in the society. He believes that the judge is an umpire and an adjudicator and not a social reformer investigator or the guardian of state property. He loves the people and is loved by the people, litigants and the legal profession. He has no political or personal agenda as an activist nor has any affiliation to any group or a religion other than leading a pious religious life and a successful family life with a loving wife and two children. He rose up purely on merits and never dreamt of political or religious patronage to achieve his ambitions.
He believes the Buddhist way of thinking that nothing is permanent and “what is permanent is only impermanence” and his approach in the resolution of disputes is a mechanism unique to him based on love impartiality and applicability of the principles of justice based on legal principles and “Home Grown” thinking and solutions traditionally evolved on us on the basis of dispute resolutions. His views on the “Doctrine of Public Trust” and “Declaration of Interests before Adjudication” are far reaching and judicious. He is aware that injustices have been done to many and the Nation can expect Justice for those who suffered awaiting justice and fair play. His mission and vision for a just and peaceful society is his ultimate ambition in life and we salute and encourage him in achieving his life long ambition during the tenure of the office. It is happy to note that the Nation, litigant and the state is in safe in his hands today.
We at AUGA hereby salute him on his momentous achievement and the fame he has brought unto the dear Alma Mater.
Reference: Online news sources
