President Anura Kumara Dissanayaka has reportedly submitted the name of Court of Appeal Acting President M.T. Mohamed Lafar to the Constitutional Council for a Supreme Court Justice vacancy expected on June 20th.
The nomination, made on June 9th, comes before the official vacancy, which arises from Justice Gamini Amarasekara’s retirement. Legal experts note it is unusual to nominate a candidate before a vacancy occurs.
Adding to the complexity, Justice Lafar is set to retire on June 18th, two days before the Supreme Court vacancy, as he reaches the age of 63. Concerns arise that the swift nomination may be an attempt to appoint him before his retirement, circumventing the typical retirement age of 65 for Supreme Court Justices. Judicial sources indicate that such a precedent does not exist.
Furthermore, it is reported that Chief Justice Murdu Fernando’s recommendation regarding Justice Lafar has not been received. Previously, Justice Lafar’s name was not among the Chief Justice’s recommendations for four Supreme Court Justice vacancies in January, leading to the appointments of other, less senior judges.
Source – Annidda Newspaper.
