Janak de Silva

This article is about the Sri Lankan lawyer and justice of the Supreme Court. For the Sri Lankan physician and academic, see Janaka de Silva.

• University College London (LL.M)
• University of Oxford (BCL)
• Sri Lanka Law College

The Honourable Janak de Silva
Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 December 2020 (2020-12-01)
Alma mater	Trinity College, Kandy

Janak de Silva is a Sri Lankan lawyer who serves as a puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. He was appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and has served since 1 December 2020. ^{[1] [2] [3]}

Early life

De Silva is an alumnus of Trinity College, Kandy, where he studied from 1973 to 1987. He represented the school in hockey, chess, cricket, athletics, quiz, and drama competitions. He captained the First XI hockey team and was awarded hockey colours. He served as a school officer and prefect and was the first recipient of the Valesca Reimann Memorial Scholarship. ^{[4] [5]}

He graduated from Sri Lanka Law College with class I honours and the University of Oxford, where he obtained a Bachelor of Civil Law (BCL) degree. He also earned a Master of Laws (LL.M) from University College London, specialising in international business transactions. ^{[4] [5]}

Career

De Silva previously served as a judge of the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka from 11 July 2017 to 1 December 2020, having been appointed by President Maithripala Sirisena. ^{[6] [7]} Before his judicial appointment, he was a Senior Deputy Solicitor General with the Attorney General's Department where he served from 1993 to 2017. ^[6]

On 22 September 2019, then-President Maithripala Sirisena appointed a five-member Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the 2019 Sri Lanka Easter bombings, with de Silva as chairman. The commission's final report was submitted to President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 1 February 2021. ^{[8] [9] [10]}

He also serves as a non-resident judge of the Court of Appeal of Seychelles, having been sworn in for a five-year term on 29 November 2023 by Vice President Ahmed Afif. ^{[11] [12]}

Achievements

• Passed the final examination for the admission of attorneys-at-law with class I honours. ^[5]
• Received the Hector Jayawardena Gold Medal for the Address to the Jury (English) contest. ^[5]
• Received the Walter Ladduwahetty Gold Medal for Academic Excellence at Sri Lanka Law College. ^[5]
• Awarded a Shell Centenary Scholarship to pursue postgraduate studies at University College London. ^[5]
• Awarded a Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship by the Fulbright Program, which he undertook at Michigan State University. ^[5]

Honours

• Elected an Honorary Bencher of Gray's Inn on 13 October 2021. ^{[13] [14]}
• Appointed a Senior Fellow (Honorary) in Law at the University of Melbourne in August 2023. ^[5]

References

1. Farzan, Zulfick (1 December 2020). "President appoints new judges to the Supreme Court & Court of Appeal". english.newsfirst.lk. Archived from the original on 16 September 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
2. "In pictures: Twenty one new SC and CA judges sworn in". Times Online. 1 December 2020. Archived from the original on 22 February 2025. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
3. Padmasiri, Ranjith (24 January 2021). "New SC judges stress the need for people-friendly laws, quality judgments and adherence to noble principles". Times Online - Daily Online Edition of The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 11 December 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
4. "Chief Guest – Prize Giving 2024". Trinity College Kandy. 11 February 2025. Archived from the original on 22 February 2025. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
5. "Trinity College Kandy, Sri Lanka: Annual Prize Giving Report 2024". Trinity College Kandy. 14 February 2025. Archived from the original on 14 February 2025. Retrieved 21 March 2025.
6. "Court of Appeal Judges sworn in". www.adaderana.lk. 11 July 2017. Archived from the original on 24 July 2017. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
7. Pathmasiri, Ranjith (30 July 2017). "Judicial integrity and legal delays topical at ceremony for new Appeal Court judges". The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 5 January 2020. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
8. "Final report of PCoI on Easter Sunday attacks handed over to President -". www.president.gov.lk. 1 February 2021. Archived from the original on 15 November 2024. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
9. "Easter Sunday Attacks: Janak De Silva Commission Report - Volume 1 (Final)". archive.veriteresearch.org. 31 January 2021. Archived from the original on 22 March 2025. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
10. "Presidential commission on Easter attacks hands over final report to President". www.adaderana.lk. 1 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2 March 2021. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
11. Nicette, Sedrick; Betymie, Bonnelame. "2 new judges of Seychelles' Court of Appeal sworn into office". www.seychellesnewsagency.com. Archived from the original on 13 July 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
12. "Two new non-resident Justices of Appeal sworn in". nation.sc. 30 November 2023. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
13. "New Honorary Benchers". graysinn.org.uk. 25 October 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
14. "Gray's Inn: Masters of the Bench". graysinn.org.uk. 2025. Retrieved 23 March 2025.

Further reading

• Rickard, Carmel (6 February 2024). "Top court of Seychelles delivers major environmental law decision on state responsibility for pollution cleanup". AfricanLII. Archived from the original on 21 January 2025. Retrieved 22 March 2025.
• "Chief Guest Justice Janak De Silva's Prize Giving Address". Trinity College Kandy. 16 February 2025. Archived from the original on 22 February 2025. Retrieved 22 February 2025.
• Hettiarachchi, Kumudini (3 August 2025). ""Vulnerable to judicial stress, under the robes of judges are human beings"". Print Edition - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 10 August 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2025.