The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has drawn the attention of President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to concerns regarding the recent process of promotions of Judicial Officers, Judges of the High Court, and the Court of Appeal.
In a letter addressed to the President, the BASL noted that while judicial promotions have traditionally been granted on the basis of seniority, this longstanding convention has been overlooked on certain occasions in recent months.
The BASL observed that although seniority may have been set aside in some instances on the basis of merit, there are currently no clear or established guidelines governing the assessment of merit in judicial promotions. The Association warned that the absence of transparent and objective criteria risks undermining the fairness and consistency of the promotion process.
Emphasizing the importance of transparency and fairness, the BASL stated that a credible and impartial system for promotions and appointments within the Judiciary is essential to maintaining public confidence and safeguarding the integrity of the administration of justice.
“It is the considered view of the BASL that promotions must continue to be made on the basis of seniority, in keeping with longstanding practice, until such time that objective and defensible guidelines for the assessment of merit are established,” the letter stated.
The BASL further noted that seniority should only be disregarded in circumstances where there is a specific and recognized demerit relating to a particular Judge, or where other compelling and objectively identifiable reasons exist.
Accordingly, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka has requested the President to give due consideration to these concerns when making future decisions on judicial promotions.
