Kaushalya Navaratne assumes duties as 27th BASL President

Senior lawyer Kaushalya Navaratne assumed duties today (25 March) as the 27th President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) for the year 2023/24.

Speaking at the ceremonial event, the newly appointed President assured that both, he and the BASL, will continue to work independently, free from any and all political biases.

The senior lawyer was declared duly elected uncontested as the BASL President on 11 January, as his was the only name nominated for the post.

Attorney-at-Law Kaushalya Navaratne’s induction took place at the 49th Convocation of the BASL, held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) this afternoon, with Attorney General Sanjaya Rajaratnam also present at the event.

Navaratne succeeds former BASL President Attorney-at-Law Saliya Pieris, PC, whose tenure concluded yesterday (24 March).

In a statement to mark the completion of his tenure as the 26th BASL President, Pieris urged the Bar to continue to “fiercely stand” for the principles which are at the core of the legal profession, and to “protect the rights described in the Constitution as the intangible heritage of the people”.