Attorney General of Sri Lanka
Incumbent
Sanjay Rajaratnam
since 26 May 2021 (2021-05-26)
Attorney General's Department
StyleThe Honourable
NominatorThe President
AppointerThe President
with Constitutional Council advice and consent
Term lengthNo fixed term
FormationFebruary 19, 1801 (1801-02-19)
First holderJames Dunkin
as Advocate Fiscal of Ceylon
DeputySolicitor General of Sri Lanka
Websitewww.attorneygeneral.gov.lk

The attorney general of Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan government's chief legal adviser, and its primary lawyer in the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. The attorney general is usually a highly respected senior advocate, and is appointed by the ruling government. The current attorney general is Sanjay Rajaratnam. The president does not have any power to make orders, mandatory or otherwise, to the attorney general. He heads the Attorney General's Department which is the public prosecutor.

Unlike the attorney general of the United States, the attorney general of Sri Lanka does not have any executive authority and is not a political appointee; those functions are performed by the minister of justice. The attorney general is assisted by the solicitor general of Sri Lanka and several additional solicitors general.

Appointment

Under section 54 of the Constitution of Sri Lanka, the president of Sri Lanka appoints the attorney general on advice of the government. The general practice is the serving solicitor general succeeds the outgoing attorney general. However, there have been instances where exceptions have been made.[1]

Under the 17th Amendment and 19th Amendment to the Constitution, the attorney general along with the chief justice, the judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, the members of the Judicial Service Commission, and four other officials are placed in a constitutionally guaranteed position of security from removal from office.[2]

Powers and duties

The powers and duties of the attorney general are derived from the Administration of Justice Law, No. 44 of 1973 and the Code of Criminal Procedure Act.

Salary and entitlements

Traditionally the attorney general is addressed by the honorific The Honourable. The attorney general draws a monthly salary and pensionable allowance (as at 2017) of Rs 240,000 and other allowances of 332,800. He/she is entitled to an official vehicle and an official residence or an allowance of Rs 50,000 in place of such. Further a books allowance of Rs 30,000 and allowance for not engaging in private practice of Rs 150,000 is provided. The position is pensionable, and holders are entitled to government duty free permits.[3]

List of attorneys general

Data based on:

  • Amerasinghe, A. Ranjit B. (1986), The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka: the first 185 years, Sarvodaya[4]
# Attorney General Province Took office Left office Appointed by
Advocate Fiscal of Ceylon (1801–1833)
1James Dunkin19 February 18011802Frederick North
2Alexander JohnstonScotland7 August 18021806
3James Dunkin22 April 18061808Thomas Maitland
4William CokeEngland5 September 18081811
5Ambrose Hardinge GiffardIreland26 February 18111821
6Henry Matthews1 November 18211829Edward Barnes
7William Norris28 February 18291833Edward Barnes
King's Advocate of Ceylon (1833–1838)
8William Ogle CarrEngland2 April 18331838Robert Wilmot-Horton
Queen's Advocate of Ceylon (1838–1884)
9John Stark10 December 18381840James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie
10Arthur William Buller17 October 18401848
11Henry Collingwood Selby23 June 18481858George Byng
12Henry Byerley Thomson3 May 18581863Henry George Ward
13Richard Morgan1 January 18631876Charles Justin MacCarthy
14Richard CayleyEngland4 April 18761879William Henry Gregory
15Bruce BurnsideBahamas24 October 18791883James Robert Longden
16Francis Fleming4 July 18831884
Attorney General of Ceylon (1884–1972)
16Francis Fleming1 January 18841886Arthur Hamilton-Gordon
17Samuel Grenier30 September 18861892
18Charles LayardWestern1 November 18921902Arthur Havelock
19Alfred LascellesEngland18 June 19021911Joseph West Ridgeway
20Anton Bertram18 May 19111918Henry McCallum
21Henry Gollan15 October 19181924John Anderson
22Lancelot Henry Elphinstone6 October 19241929William Manning
23Edward St. John Jackson12 May 19291936Herbert Stanley
24John Curtois Howard27 July 19361936Reginald Edward Stubbs
25John William Ronald Illangakoon1 October 19361942
26Manikku Wadumestri Hendrick de Silva7 July 19421946Henry Monck-Mason Moore
27Chellappah Nagalingam25 January 19461947
28Alan Edward Percival Rose23 October 19471951
29Hema Henry Basnayake11 October 19511956Herwald Ramsbotham
30Edward Fredrick Noel Gratiaen2 May 19561957Oliver Ernest Goonetilleke
31Douglas St. Clive Budd Jansze1 April 19571966
32Abdul Caffoor Mohamad Ameer19661970William Gopallawa
Attorney General of Sri Lanka
33Victor TennekoonCentral1 July 19701975William Gopallawa
34Shiva Pasupati5 June 19751988
35Pandikoralalage Sunil Chandra De Silva19881992J. R. Jayewardene
36Tilak MarapanaSabaragamuwa19921995Ranasinghe Premadasa
37Shibly Aziz19951996Chandrika Kumaratunga
38Sarath N. Silva19961999
39Kandapper KamalasabaysonEastern19992007
40Chitta De SilvaWestern20072008Mahinda Rajapaksa
41Mohan Peiris20082011
42Eva WansunderaNorth Western20112012
43Palitha Fernando17 July 201223 October 2014
44Yuwanjana Wijayatilake23 October 201410 January 2016
Suhada Gamlath10 January 201611 February 2016Maithripala Sirisena
45Jayantha Jayasuriya11 February 201629 April 2019
46Dappula de Livera29 April 201925 May 2021
47Sanjay Rajaratnam26 May 2021PresentGotabaya Rajapaksa

See also

References

  1. ↑ Constitution of Sri Lanka
  2. ↑ The misunderstood role of the Attorney General in Sri Lanka
  3. ↑ SRI LANKA: JUDGES AND STATE LAW OFFICERS TO GET SUBSTANTIAL SALARY HIKES AND NEW ALLOWANCES
  4. ↑ Amerasinghe, A. Ranjit B (1986), The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka : the first 185 years, Sarvodaya Book Pub. Services, ISBN 978-955-599-000-4
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