Who’s the next CJ?

By Stanley Samarasinghe
Hulftsdorp Hill is buzzing with speculation as to who would succeed Chief Justice (CJ) Sarath Nanda Silva PC, due to retire on June 16.

It is learnt Chief Justice Silva will go into a quiet retirement without granting any interviews to either print or electronic media.

According to those close to the CJ he might spend his retirement in educating those interested in Buddhist Philosophy and Meditation.

He held the highest judicial post in the country for nearly 10 years and encouraged public litigation. The CJ also developed the scope of Fundamental Rights through several judgments delivered by him.

As the Chief Justice, the former Attorney General presided over the Supreme Court bench which heard the very important Fundamental Rights Application challenging the controversial privatisation of the Lanka Marine Services Ltd and Water’s Edge deal.

As a Chief Justice he improved many court houses around the country with assistance from the World Bank. He also introduced provincial appeal courts to eliminate law delays and to speed up the dispensing of justice.