Judicial Service Commission (Sri Lanka)

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The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) of Sri Lanka was established on 4 October 1947 under the provisions of Article 111D of the Constitution of Sri Lanka. [1] [2] Its primary objective is to safeguard judicial independence by functioning as an independent regulatory body.

Contents

Role

The functions of the Judicial Service Commission, as vested in it by the Constitution and other statutes, are as follows: [3]

  1. Appointment, promotion, transfer and disciplinary control of judges of the Courts of First Instance, including district judges, magistrates and presidents of Labour Tribunals.
  2. Appointment, training and disciplinary control of Quazis, who exercise Family Court jurisdiction within the Muslim community.
  3. Appointment of the chairman and members of the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, the appellate body for decisions of the Public Service Commission and the Police Commission.
  4. Appointment of the chairman and members of the Elders’ Maintenance Board, which adjudicates maintenance applications submitted by parents neglected by their children.
  5. Appointment, promotion, transfer and disciplinary control of officers in the Scheduled Public Service who serve as court staff.
  6. Supervision and administration of the entire judicial system.

Membership

The Judicial Service Commission comprises three members appointed by the President of Sri Lanka. Its membership includes the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka and the two most senior puisne justices of the Supreme Court. If the chief justice and the two most senior puisne justices lack experience as a magistrate or district judge, the next most senior puisne justice with such experience will be appointed to the Commission to fill one seat. The chief justice serves as the commissioner of the JSC. The quorum for any meeting of the commission is two members. Each member serves a renewable three-year term from the date of appointment, unless retired, resigned, or removed from office. [1]

The current membership is as follows:

As of 27 July 2025
NameAppointed byDate appointedDescriptionRef.
Padman Surasena Dissanayake January 2025Chairman / Chief Justice [4]
Mahinda Samayawardhena Dissanayake July 2025Member / Puisne justice [5]
Vacant

References

  1. 1 2 "The Constitution of the D. S. R. of Sri Lanka (As amended up to 31 October 2022)" (PDF). www.parliament.lk. 2025. pp. 124–129. Archived (PDF) from the original on 16 July 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  2. ↑ "Judicial Service Commission Secretariat – Overview". www.jsc.gov.lk. 2013. Archived from the original on 19 October 2013. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  3. ↑ "Submission of the Annual Reports and Annual Accounts to the Parliament of Sri Lanka by the Government Institutions For Year 2012 – Judicial Service Commission" (PDF). www.parliament.lk. 2012. Archived (PDF) from the original on 29 July 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
  4. ↑ Padmasiri, Ranjith (5 January 2025). "SC justice Preethi Padman Surasena appointed to Judicial Service Commission". Print Edition - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 10 March 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  5. ↑ Padmasiri, Ranjith (29 July 2025). "SC Justice Samayawardhena appointed as JSC member". Print Edition - The Sunday Times, Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 29 July 2025. Retrieved 29 July 2025.
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