The Bar Council of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has unanimously called for BASL President Kaushalya Navaratne to resign from office after a five-member committee appointed to investigate into the JAICA fund controversy, found that the BASL President had failed to act with transparency.
Until then, Kaushalya Navaratne was directed by the Bar Council not to exercise the powers and functions of the President of the BASL.
In its report, the five-member-committee found that BASL President Kaushalya Navaratne PC had failed to act with transparency in relation to the contract entered into by the BASL with JICA. The committee further held that the BASL President had violated the trust reposed in him as the President of the BASL.
President’s Counsel Anura Meddegoda was elected as the Deputy President of the BASL to succeed Nalinda Indatissa PC who resigned from that office.
In the meantime, Mr Amila Palliyage proposed to amend the Constitution of the BASL making minimum 25 years at the Bar as one of the requirements to contest for the post of Presidency of the BASL. Bar Council decided to refer the matter to the Constitutional amendment committee of the BASL for appropriate steps after reviewing the suggestion and views of the members.
