CA judge recuses himself from hearing petition against Sanath Nishantha
October 27, 2023 03:59 pm
An Appeals Court judge has recused himself from the hearing of a writ petition filed against State Minister Sanath Nishantha.
Accordingly, Justice Chamath Morais has withdrawn himself from participating in the petition hearing, the Appeals Court President, Justice Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne told the open court today (Oct. 27).
He attributed Justice Morais’ recusal to the previous delivery of an order, while serving in the judicial zone of Chilaw, to place Sanath Nishantha in remand custody.
The next petition hearing was fixed for October 31. The new judge bench sitting for the petition hearing is slated to be announced that day.
The petitions were put forward by Attorneys-at-Law Priyalal Sirisena, Vijith Kumara and the Judicial Service Association of Sri Lanka.
The petitioners alleged that the state minister had tarnished the honour and image of the judiciary by expressing critical views on how the magistrates acted in granting bail to the suspects involved in the ‘Aragalaya’ protest movement. Nishantha had made the remarks while addressing a media conference held at the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP) headquarters on 23 August 2022.
