Padman Surasena

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The Honourable
Padman Surasena
49th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
Incumbent
Assumed office
27 July 2025

Preethi Padman Surasena is a Sri Lankan lawyer who is currently serving as the 49th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka. He was appointed by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on 27 July 2025. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

Surasena succeeded Murdu Fernando, who retired as the 48th chief justice on 27 July. [4] [5] Prior to his appointment, he served as a puisne justice (2019–2025) [6] [7] and as the 46th president of the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka (2018–2019), in addition to holding other judicial appointments and serving in the Attorney General's Department. [8]

Early life

Surasena obtained his bachelor's degree in physics from the University of Colombo in 1985. He then entered the Sri Lanka Law College in the same year and was sworn in as an attorney in 1989. [8]

Career

Surasena joined the Attorney General's Department of Sri Lanka and served as a Senior State Counsel. [8] He was appointed as a judge of the High Court of Sri Lanka in 2007 by President Mahinda Rajapaksa. On 20 January 2016, President Maithripala Sirisena nominated and appointed him as a judge of the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka. [9] [10]

On 15 January 2018, he was appointed as the 46th president of the Court of Appeal by President Sirisena. [11] [8]

On 9 January 2019, Surasena was appointed to the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka as a puisne justice by President Sirisena. [6] [7]

Chief justice of Sri Lanka

On 22 July 2025, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake nominated Surasena for appointment as the next chief justice, following the retirement of Murdu Fernando on 27 July. The nomination was considered and ratified by the Constitutional Council on 23 July. [4] [5]

On 27 July, Surasena was sworn in as the 49th chief justice of Sri Lanka by President Dissanayake. [1] [2] [3] [12]

Commission assignments

On 10 March 2015, President Sirisena appointed Surasena as the chairman of Presidential Commission of Inquiry to Investigate and Inquire into Serious Acts of Fraud, Corruption and Abuse of Power, State Resources and Privileges (PRECIFAC). [13]

In January 2025, Surasena was appointed to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to fill the vaccancy created by the retirement of former Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya. [14]

References

  1. 1 2 "Justice Preethi Padman Surasena Sworn in as New Chief Justice -". www.president.gov.lk. 27 July 2025. Archived from the original on 27 July 2025. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Justice Preethi Padman Surasena Sworn in as 49th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka". www.adaderana.lk. 27 July 2025. Archived from the original on 27 July 2025. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Preethi Padman Surasena sworn in as new Chief Justice". www.dailymirror.lk. 27 July 2025. Archived from the original on 27 July 2025. Retrieved 27 July 2025.
  4. 1 2 "Justice Preethi Padman Surasena nominated as next Chief Justice". www.dailymirror.lk. 22 July 2025. Archived from the original on 22 July 2025. Retrieved 22 July 2025.
  5. 1 2 "Preethi Padman Surasena confirmed as next Chief Justice of Sri Lanka". www.adaderana.lk. 23 July 2025. Archived from the original on 23 July 2025. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
  6. 1 2 "Three new Supreme Court justices sworn in". www.adaderana.lk. 9 January 2019. Archived from the original on 4 December 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  7. 1 2 Padmasiri, Ranjith (3 February 2019). "Laws' delays and the scourge of justice denied – Ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court to welcome 3 Judges". The Sunday Times Sri Lanka. Archived from the original on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  8. 1 2 3 4 De Alwis, Nathasha (15 January 2018). "Preethi Padman Surasena elevated to position of Court of Appeal President". Newsfirst. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  9. ↑ "CC approves Surasena as Court of Appeal Judge". www.ft.lk. Archived from the original on 27 June 2022. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  10. ↑ "Justice Preethi Padman Surasena sworn in as a judge of Court of Appeal". news.lk. 21 January 2016. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  11. ↑ Ariff, Yusuf (15 January 2018). "Preethi Padman Surasena sworn in as President of Appeal Court". www.adaderana.lk. Archived from the original on 21 July 2025. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  12. ↑ "අග විනිසුරු ධූරයට අනුමැතිය ලැබූ ප්‍රීති පද්මන් සූරසේන කවුද? ඔහු දුන් සුවිශේෂී තීන්දු මොනවා ද?". BBC News සිංහල (in Sinhala). 23 July 2025. Archived from the original on 28 July 2025. Retrieved 28 July 2025.
  13. ↑ Ariff, Yusuff (2 January 2018). "PRECIFAC final report handed over to President". www.adaderana.lk. Archived from the original on 13 December 2024. Retrieved 21 July 2025.
  14. ↑ 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.
Legal offices
Preceded by President of the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka
2018–2019		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
2025–present		Incumbent
Order of precedence
Preceded byas Speaker of the parliament Order of precedence of Sri Lanka
as Chief Justice		Succeeded byas Leader of the Opposition
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