Acclaim for book on Commissions of Inquiry

A new book by renowned Sri Lankan Judge, Dr. L.M. Jayaratne has won international acclaim.

This book titled Judicial Review of Commissions of Inquiry - A Comparative Study is based on his thesis on "Judicial Review of Commissions of Inquiry".

This is a deep study of the functioning and purpose of Commissions of Inquiry in countries and its value is very much felt these days, given the role of Commissions of Inquiry established for various purposes in this country.

This book has received very valuable and praiseworthy commendations from many renowned legal experts around the world including Lord Sidney William Templeman and Dr. J.A.L. Cooray, former Member of the Constitutional Court.

This book has received much input from the period he spent in Fiji. After a span of eighteen years in the judiciary and while presiding as a High Court Judge in Colombo he was invited by the Chief Justice of Fiji to take up appointment as a Supreme Court Judge (Puisne Judge) in Fiji due to his sound knowledge of English Law and Procedure.

During the time in Fiji, he had the occasion of trying a rather volatile and sensational case filed by the Army against some of the Fiji born Indians on charges of treason. When the charges of treason were not proved and some diluted charges were preferred against the accused, the case did not end up in any major imprisonment or conviction of the accused.

This infuriated the Army and the resultant position exposed the Jayaratnes to great personal and physical danger. Fiji was under military rule during this time and his car was very badly damaged and no one was prosecuted for these dastardly acts of violence.

While in Fiji, both Mr. and Mrs Jayaratne managed to find time to engage in Doctoral studies - he in the area of law and his wife in the area of business adminstration and obtained the Ph. D Degree from the Western Pacific University of California.

His enduring interests in the judicial work took him to witness the trial of Slobadan Milosevich in the International Court of Justice and the International Court of Jurists (Peace Palace) in The Hague.

He joined the University of London and graduated with the LL.B Degree. He joined the Inns of Court-Inner Temple London, to read for the Barrister's Examination.

He passed out as a Barrister and was called to the English Bar in 1969. Being enroled in the Roll of Barristers maintained in the Queens Bench Division, he became entitled to practise in England, Wales and the Privy Council.