The Judicial Service Association has once again requested the President to remove Mr. Ramanathan Kannan from the position of the High Court Judge, as it is an appointment having “no force or avail in law.”

The Secretary of the association magistrate M.M.M. Mihal has written to President Maithripala Sirisena on the issue, based on the resolutions adopted and approved unanimously at the JSA Emergency General meeting held on April 01.
 
The letter states that according to the decision of the Judicial Service Commission dated 23.02.2017 and the letter dated 17.02.2017 of the Secretary of the Sri Lanka Bar Association, the recommendation made by Judicial Service Commission for the appointment of Mr. Ramanathan Kannan has no force or avail in law.

“In this context, Judicial Service Association respectfully request His Excellency the president to remove Mr. Ramanathan Kannan from the position of the High Court Judge.”

Since the appointment of Mr. Ramanathan Kannan has no force or avail in law, the Judicial Service Association respectfully request the Judicial Service Commission to consider not to allow Mr. Kannan to function as High Court Judge till he is removed from the said position by the President. 

“We the members of Judicial Service Association strongly believe that the independence of the judiciary guaranteed by the constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka has been violated and we the members of the association respectfully request the President of Sri Lanka and Judicial Service Commission to restore and uphold the integrity and independence of the judiciary.”

The association states that the appointment of Judges for High Court from unofficial Bar undermines the knowledge, experience and sacrifices made by the District Judges and Magistrates who work under immense pressures and difficulties for long periods of time in difficult areas during their career. 

“Therefore, we respectfully request the Judicial Service Commission to refrain from recommending nominations submitted to them from the unofficial bar for the appointment of judges directly to the High Court in future,” the JSA said.