Special committee to set guidelines to modernise legal system

Ranil Wickremesinghe

Since most countries have modernised their legal systems, a special committee will be appointed this year to set guidelines for modernising our legal system too, said Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe.

The Prime Minister was addressing a ceremony in Colombo on Saturday to mark the induction of the new President-elect of the BASL for 2017-18 Senior Attorney U. R. de Silva. Prime Minister Wickremesinghe said the protection of human rights was a privilege gained by members of the legal profession. The Prime Minister who said that members of the legal profession contributed towards crises facing the social network added that the BASL was an institution protecting the sovereignty of the law than a mere professional association.

Earlier, Solicitor General Suhada Gamlath, PC formally inducted Senior Attorney U. R. de Silva as the new President of the BASL for the year 2017-18.

The Prime Minister who recalled that H.W. Jayewardena QC was the first President of the BASL, added that the training he gained as a lawyer stood him in good stead in the affairs of Parliament which enacted and facilitated the laws implemented by the Executive.

He said efficiency should be driven into laws enacted by Parliament. They were always duty bound to accept judicial orders which highlighted shortcomings in any law enacted try Parliament.

That was why they accepted Judicial orders relating to the shortcomings in the VAT Bill. The government was now involved in modernising the market economy.

The Prime Minister said he wished to congratulate the new President of the BASL U. R. de Silva. De Silva had earlier functioned as the Treasurer and Secretary of the BASL. The Prime Minister also congratulated all other office bearers of the BASL including Secretary Nimal Ratnayake and Treasurer Sujeewalal Dahanayake and wished them all success.

Justice and Buddhasasana Minister Wijeyadasa Rajapaksha, acting Chief Justice Eva Wanasundera, President of the Court of Appeal Vijith Kalalgoda, BASL President U. R. de Silva and Ali Sabir PC also spoke.

Attorney Sujeewa Dahanayake presented a book containing columns published in the Facebook titled ‘Nuga Gaha Yata Viplavaya’ to the Prime Minister.

(Source: Daily News – By Shiromi Abayasinghe)