'Supreme Court Judges' swearing-in timely'

Sarath MALALASEKERA

'Justice Sathya Hettige, President's Counsel and Justice Priyasath Dep, President's Counsel, have been inducted into the Supreme Court, at a time when the work load of the Supreme Court had increased beyond what had been planned for by the framers of the constitution, Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) President, President's Counsel Shibly Aziz said at the ceremonial welcome to both judges which was held at the Superior Courts Complex recently.

The conferment of the right of appeal or review to this court, bypassing the Court of Appeal to alleviate laws delays, had unfortunately placed a heavy burden on this Court. Unless timely action was taken, the burgeoning case load would result in creating the same backlog which this court had intended to address-except that any delay caused at the concluding stages would be more frustrating, the BASL President said.

Now that the court, after a significant lapse of time, had a full complement of judges, the Bar welcomes and would support any initiative taken to deal with this problem. Perhaps, an extra Bench as was being contemplated and perhaps a Bench of Two Judges to deal with the leave to proceed matters, could help together with other innovative steps being taken, he said.

The BASL President emphasised "If I may say with utmost respect, we have ample faith and confidence that the Lady Chief Justice with the ready cooperation of the members of this apex court, would embark on measures which would adequately deal with this. The Bar assures Court of its total cooperation." Justice Hettige, after the completion of his early education at Siddhartha Maha Vidyalaya in Weligama passed out from the Colombo University, Faculty of Law in 1976 and thereafter obtained a First Class at the final examination at Law College.

Soon after, he joined the Attorney General's Department and rose steadily to finally hold the rank of Additional Solicitor General in 2004 and to be appointed a President's Counsel. Whilst in the Department, he read for his Master of Laws, in Commercial Law at the University of Aberdeen with his thesis being on Empirical Problems of Bankers and Importers in Documentary Credits.

Justice Priyasath Dep had his schooling at St Joseph's College, Colombo, excelling in both studies and sports and having the distinction of representing his college in athletics, rugger and soccer, proceeded to the University of Colombo, where he obtained his BA Special Degree in Development Studies. He started his legal career in 1976, and after joining the Attorney General's Department in 1978, soon reached the higher echelons of that Department. Justice Dep was appointed President's Counsel in April 2000, upon becoming an Additional Solicitor General.