Twenty-five Attorneys-at- Law will swear in as President’s Counsel (PC) on January 18 at a ceremonial sitting of the Supreme Court. The swearing-in as President’s Counsel is also known as taking Silk. Attorneys-at-Law who have practised as counsels in courts either in the official or unofficial bar are eligible to be appointed as PCs. Once appointed one doesn’t lose the title even if they are appointed to the Judiciary.
Ponnambalam Ramanathan, Thomas de Sampayo and Frederick Dornhorst were the first to be appointed as King’s Counsel in 1903. It has been the practice since then to appoint lawyers who have served the country for long periods with professionalism and eminence.
The names of Attorneys to be appointed as President’s Counselare: 1. Chinthamanie Moonemalle Ballale 2. Satendra Maithri Guneratne 3. Mohamed Sheriffdeen Mohamed Hussain 4. Pilimathalawa Wijesundara Mudiyanselage Suriyashantha Bandara Iddawela 5. Dulip Flavien Raphael Jayamaha 6. Madurapperumage Chandrasiri Jayaratne 7. Liyana Mudiyanselage Vijitha Nandana Jayawickrema 8. Singhanathage Tharapathi Jayanaga 9. Upali Sarrath Kongahage 10. Sunil Kithsirimevan Lankathilleka 11. Arunachalam Muttu Krishnan 12. Bamunuge Joseph Bernard Shanthi Perera 13. Subramaniam Paramarajah 14. Edmund Sirimevan Rajapakse 15. Mohan Rudolph Abeyratna Ratwatte 16. Shantha Chulabaya Rajapakse 17. Akmeemana Palliya Guruge Sarathchandra 18. Abdul Wahid Abdul Sathar 19. Palli Mulla Kapugamage Nelson de Silva 20. Velayuthapilli Thavarajah 21. Sarath Devasena Wijesinghe 22. Luckshan Mahinda Wijesundara 23. Priyal Thusitha Wijayweera 24. Saumya Amarasekera 25. Geethaka Goonawardene.
y