Attorney General of Sri Lanka

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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; 223 years ago (1801-02-19)
First holderJames Dunkin
as Advocate Fiscal of Ceylon
DeputySolicitor General of Sri Lanka
Websitewww.attorneygeneral.gov.lk
Politics of Sri Lanka
Coat of arms of Sri Lanka, showing a lion holding a sword in its right forepaw surrounded by a ring made from blue lotus petals which is placed on top of a grain vase sprouting rice grains to encircle it. A Dharmacakra is on the top while a sun and moon are at the bottom on each side of the vase.
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The attorney general of Sri Lanka is the Sri Lankan government's chief

public prosecutor
.

Unlike 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:

# Attorney General Province Took office Left office Appointed by
Advocate Fiscal of Ceylon (1801–1833)
1 James Dunkin 19 February 1801 1802 Frederick North
2 Alexander Johnston Scotland 7 August 1802 1806
3 James Dunkin 22 April 1806 1808 Thomas Maitland
4 William Coke England 5 September 1808 1811
5 Ambrose Hardinge Giffard Ireland 26 February 1811 1821
6 Henry Matthews 1 November 1821 1829 Edward Barnes
7 William Norris 28 February 1829 1833 Edward Barnes
King's Advocate of Ceylon (1833–1838)
8 William Ogle Carr England 2 April 1833 1838 Robert Wilmot-Horton
Queen's Advocate of Ceylon (1838–1884)
9 John Stark 10 December 1838 1840 James Alexander Stewart-Mackenzie
10 Arthur William Buller 17 October 1840 1848
11 Henry Collingwood Selby 23 June 1848 1858 George Byng
12 Henry Byerley Thomson 3 May 1858 1863 Henry George Ward
13 Richard Morgan 1 January 1863 1876 Charles Justin MacCarthy
14 Richard Cayley England 4 April 1876 1879 William Henry Gregory
15 Bruce Burnside
Bahamas
 24 October 1879 1883 James Robert Longden
16 Francis Fleming 4 July 1883 1884
Attorney General of Ceylon (1884–1972)
16 Francis Fleming 1 January 1884 1886 Arthur Hamilton-Gordon
17 Samuel Grenier 30 September 1886 1892
18 Charles Layard Western 1 November 1892 1902 Arthur Havelock
19 Alfred Lascelles England 18 June 1902 1911 Joseph West Ridgeway
20 Anton Bertram 18 May 1911 1918 Henry McCallum
21 Henry Gollan 15 October 1918 1924 John Anderson
22
Lancelot Henry Elphinstone
 6 October 1924 1929
William Manning
23
Edward St. John Jackson
 12 May 1929 1936 Herbert Stanley
24 John Curtois Howard 27 July 1936 1936
Reginald Edward Stubbs
25 John William Ronald Illangakoon 1 October 1936 1942
26
Manikku Wadumestri Hendrick de Silva
 7 July 1942 1946 Henry Monck-Mason Moore
27 Chellappah Nagalingam 25 January 1946 1947
28 Alan Edward Percival Rose 23 October 1947 1951
29 Hema Henry Basnayake 11 October 1951 1956 Herwald Ramsbotham
30
Edward Fredrick Noel Gratiaen
 2 May 1956 1957
Oliver Ernest Goonetilleke
31 Douglas St. Clive Budd Jansze 1 April 1957 1966
32 Abdul Caffoor Mohamad Ameer 1966 1970 William Gopallawa
Attorney General of Sri Lanka
33 Victor Tennekoon Central 1 July 1970 1975 William Gopallawa
34 Shiva Pasupati 5 June 1975 1988
35
Pandikoralalage Sunil Chandra De Silva
 1988 1992 J. R. Jayewardene
36 Tilak Marapana
Sabaragamuwa
 1992 1995 Ranasinghe Premadasa
37 Shibly Aziz 1995 1996 Chandrika Kumaratunga
38 Sarath N. Silva 1996 1999
39 Kandapper Kamalasabayson Eastern 1999 2007
40 Chitta De Silva Western 2007 2008 Mahinda Rajapaksa
41 Mohan Peiris 2008 2011
42
Eva Wansundera
 North Western 2011 2012
43 Palitha Fernando 17 July 2012 23 October 2014
44 Yuwanjana Wijayatilake 23 October 2014 10 January 2016
Suhada Gamlath 10 January 2016 11 February 2016 Maithripala Sirisena
45 Jayantha Jayasuriya 11 February 2016 29 April 2019
46 Dappula de Livera 29 April 2019 25 May 2021
47 Sanjay Rajaratnam 26 May 2021 Present Gotabaya 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. ISBN 978-955-599-000-4

External links
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