- Top left: Codrington Edmund Carrington was the first Chief Justice of Ceylon.
- Top right: Shirani Bandaranayake was the 43rd Chief Justice and the first of only two women to hold the position.
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This is a list of justices of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. They are listed in the order in which they took the judicial oath of office and commenced their term.[1][2][3]
List of justices
19th century
- As of 28 February 2025
List of justices appointed to the Supreme Court: 1800–1899 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Name | Appointed by | Start / end / length of service | |
Puisne Justice | Chief Justice | |||
1 | Codrington Edmund Carrington | North | — | (1st chief justice) March 1801 – 2 April 1806 |
2 | Edmund Henry Lushington | North | 5 September 1801 – 15 April 1807 5 years, 222 days |
(2nd chief justice) 15 April 1807 – 1809 |
3 | Alexander Johnston | Maitland | 15 April 1807 – 14 February 1809 1 year, 305 days |
(3rd chief justice) 6 November 1811 – 1819 |
4 | William Coke | Maitland | 6 March 1809 – 1 September 1818 9 years, 179 days |
6 March 1809 – 1811[a] |
5 | Henry Byrne | Brownrigg | 5 November 1818 – 1819 | — |
6 | Ambrose Hardinge Giffard | Brownrigg | — | (4th chief justice) 8 April 1819 – 2 March 1827 7 years, 328 days |
7 | Richard Ottley | Barnes[b] | 8 May 1820 – 1 November 1827 7 years, 177 days |
(5th chief justice) 1 November 1827 – 1833 |
8 | Henry Matthews | Barnes | 10 October 1827 – 1828 | — |
9 | Charles Marshall | Barnes | 14 June 1828 – 18 February 1833 4 years, 249 days |
(6th chief justice) 18 February 1833 – 3 March 1836 3 years, 14 days |
10 | William Rough | Wilmot-Horton | 18 February 1833 — 1838 | — |
11 | William Norris | Wilmot-Horton | 1834 – 27 April 1836 | (7th chief justice) 27 April 1836 – 1837 |
12 | John Jeremie | Wilmot-Horton | 10 March 1836 – 1840 | — |
13 | John Fredrick Stoddart | Stewart-Mackenzie | 2 June 1838 – 19 August 1839 1 year, 78 days |
— |
14 | Anthony Oliphant | Stewart-Mackenzie | — | (8th chief justice) 22 October 1838 – 1854 |
15 | J. G. Hillebrand | Stewart-Mackenzie | 23 November 1839 – 1841[c] | — |
16 | William Ogle Carr | Stewart-Mackenzie | 19 December 1839 – 17 April 1854 14 years, 119 days |
(9th chief justice) 17 April 1854 – 1856 |
17 | John Stark | Stewart-Mackenzie | 10 October 1840 – ? | — |
18 | Christopher Temple | Anderson | 28 January 1854 – 1873 | — |
19 | Paul Ivy Sterling | Ward | 20 November 1855 – ? | — |
20 | William Carpenter Rowe | Ward | — | (10th chief justice) 1857 – 1859 |
21 | Edward Shepherd Creasy | Ward | — | (11th chief justice) 27 March 1860 – 1875 |
22 | Richard Morgan | Ward | 1 January – 19 November 1857[c] 322 days 1 January – 6 November 1860[c] 310 days |
— |
23 | George Lawson | Ward | 1860 – 1861[c] 1871 – 1872[c] |
— |
24 | Henry Byerley Thomson | MacCarthy | 1 January 1863 – 1866 | — |
25 | Charles Henry Stewart | Robinson | 11 January 1867 – 1879[d] | — |
26 | Richard Cayley | Gregory | 26 July 1874 – 1 October 1879 5 years, 67 days |
(14th chief justice) 1 October 1879 – 1882 |
27 | Lovell Burchett Clarence | Gregory | 4 April 1876 – 1888 | — |
28 | Harry Dias Bandaranaike | Gregory Longden |
1876[c] 5 July 1879 – 1892 |
1–12 October 1879[e] 9 January – 5 June 1888[e] |
29 | William Hackett | Gregory | — | (12th chief justice) 3 February – 17 May 1877 103 days |
30 | John Budd Phear | Longden | — | (13th chief justice) 18 October 1877 – 30 September 1879 1 year, 347 days |
31 | Archibald Campbell Lawrie | Longden | 1 July – 13 November 1877[c] 6 July 1892 – 1901 |
— |
32 | Jacobus de Wet | Longden | — | (15th chief justice) 31 May 1882 – 29 May 1883 363 days |
33 | Bruce Burnside | Longden | — | (16th chief justice) 21 May 1883 – 1893[f] |
34 | John Winfield Bonser | Havelock | — | (17th chief justice) 13 November 1893 – 1902 |
35 | George Henry Withers | Havelock | 6 July 1892 – 1900 | — |
36 | Dodwell Browne | Havelock | 1895 | — |
20th century
- As of 28 February 2025
List of justices appointed to the Supreme Court: 1900–1999 | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Name | Appointed by | Start / end / length of service | |
Puisne Justice | Chief Justice | |||
37 | Frederick Charles Moncrieff | Ridgeway | 4 April 1900 – 1905 | — |
38 | Henry Lorensz Wendt | Ridgeway | 15 October 1901 – 28 November 1910 9 years, 44 days |
— |
39 | John Page Middleton | Ridgeway | 28 January 1902 – 1912 | — |
40 | Charles Layard | Ridgeway | — | (18th chief justice) 26 April 1902 – 18 June 1906 4 years, 53 days |
41 | Joseph Richard Grenier | Ridgeway | 28 November 1910 – 1912[g] | — |
42 | Alexander Wood Renton | Blake | 3 September 1905 – 1914 | (21st chief justice) 22 August 1914 – 1918 |
43 | Joseph Turner Hutchinson | Blake | — | (19th chief justice) 23 October 1906 – 1 May 1911 4 years, 190 days |
44 | Alfred Lascelles | McCallum | — | (20th chief justice) 1 May 1911 – 1914 |
45 | Walter Pereira | McCallum | 4 July 1912 – | — |
46 | James Van Langenberg | McCallum | 1912–1915 | — |
47 | George Francis Macdaniel Ennis | McCallum | 5 August 1912 – 1925 | — |
48 | Walter Shaw | Chalmers | 10 December 1914 – 1921 | — |
49 | Thomas de Sampayo | Chalmers | 1915– | — |
50 | Stewart Schneider | Anderson | 1917– | — |
51 | Anton Bertram | Stubbs[b] | — | (22nd chief justice) 26 July 1918 – 1925 |
52 | Hermann Albert Loos | Manning | 1919–1920 | — |
53 | William Thomas Porter | Manning | 12 January 1922 – | — |
54 | Thomas Garvin | Manning | 21 June 1921 – 1935 | — |
55 | John Adrian St. Valentine Jayewardene | Manning | 1923– | — |
56 | Llewelyn Dalton | Manning | 14 March 1925 – | — |
57 | Charles Ernest St. John Branch | Clementi[b] | — | (23rd chief justice) 3 July 1925 – 25 May 1926 326 days |
58 | Robert Lyall-Grant | Clifford | 17 February 1926 – | — |
59 | Stanley Fisher | Clifford | — | (24th chief justice) 11 December 1926 – 1930 |
60 | Allen Drieberg | Fletcher[b] | 19 September 1927 – | — |
61 | Eugene Wilfred Jayewardene | Fletcher[b] | May 1928 – | — |
62 | Philip James Macdonell | Stanley | — | (25th chief justice) 3 October 1930 – 1936 |
63 | William Edward Barber | Thomson | 1932– | — |
64 | Lucien Macull Dominic de Silva | Stubbs | 1933–1934 | — |
65 | Lewis Matthew Maartensz | Stubbs | 18 February 1935 – | — |
66 | Maas Thajoon Akbar | — | ||
67 | Francis Harold Bertram | Stubbs | 19 February 1935 – | — |
68 | Kenneth Poyser | –1939 | — | |
69 | Francis Soertsz | Stubbs | 12 November 1936 – | — |
70 | Sidney Abrahams | Stubbs | — | (26th chief justice) 3 July 1936 – 1939 |
71 | Francis Moseley | Stubbs | 2 August 1936 – | — |
72 | Vincent Fernando | Caldecott | 11 November 1937 – | — |
73 | Hector Hearne | Stubbs | 21 May 1937 – 1944 | — |
74 | Arthur Eric Keuneman | Caldecott | 4 March 1938 – | — |
75 | Oswald Leslie De Kretser II | Caldecott | 8 April 1938 – 1945 | — |
76 | Arthur Wijewardena | Caldecott | 22 August 1938 – 15 January 1949 10 years, 146 days |
(28th chief justice) 15 January 1949 – 1950 |
77 | John Harry Barclay Nihill | Caldecott | 18 November 1938 – | — |
78 | John Curtois Howard | Caldecott | — | (27th chief justice) 1 December 1939 – 1949 |
79 | George Harry Franklyn Cannon | Caldecott | 1939–1947 | — |
80 | Edward Jayetileke | Caldecott | 14 May 1942 – 1950 | (29th chief justice) 1950 – 11 October 1951 |
81 | Alan Rose | Moore | 11 January 1945 – 11 October 1951 6 years, 273 days |
(30th chief justice) 11 October 1951 – 1956 |
82 | A. R. H. Canakeratne | Moore | 28 March 1945 – | — |
83 | M. W. H. de Silva | Moore | — | |
84 | Felix Reginald Dias Bandaranaike II | Moore | 3 September 1946 – | — |
85 | C. Nagalingam | Moore | 22 July 1947 – 1958 | — |
86 | Ralph Windham | Moore | 23 July 1947 – 1950 | — |
87 | Hema Henry Basnayake | Moore | 23 October 1947 – 1 January 1956 8 years, 70 days |
(31st chief justice) 1 January 1956 – 3 August 1964 8 years, 215 days |
88 | Noel Gratiaen | Moore | 22 March 1948 – 2 May 1956 8 years, 41 days |
— |
89 | E. H. T. Gunasekera | Moore | 1 March 1949 – 25 January 1962 12 years, 330 days |
— |
90 | M. F. S. Pulle | Ramsbotham | 28 September 1949 – | — |
91 | V. L. St. C. Swan | Ramsbotham | 1 May 1950 – | — |
92 | H. A. de Silva | Ramsbotham | 30 November 1950 – | — |
93 | N. K. Choksy | Ramsbotham | 1951– | — |
94 | Henry Weerasooriya | Ramsbotham | 10 July 1953 – 24 February 1964 10 years, 229 days |
— |
95 | K. D. de Silva | Ramsbotham | 10 July 1953 – | — |
96 | Miliani Sansoni | Ramsbotham | 10 May 1954 – 3 August 1964 10 years, 85 days |
(32nd chief justice) 3 August 1964 – 17 November 1966 2 years, 106 days |
97 | Hugh Fernando | Goonetilleke | 16 May 1955 – 20 November 1966 11 years, 188 days |
(33rd chief justice) 20 November 1966 – 17 November 1973 6 years, 362 days |
98 | T. S. Fernando | Goonetilleke | 2 May 1956 – | — |
99 | Nadaraja Sinnetamby | Goonetilleke | 3 May 1956 – | — |
100 | Lionel de Silva | Goonetilleke | 5 November 1959 – | — |
101 | Henry Thambiah | Goonetilleke | 1 December 1961 – 27 May 1968 6 years, 178 days |
— |
102 | Kingsley Herath | Goonetilleke | 25 January 1962 – | — |
103 | A. W. H. Abeyesundere | Gopallawa | 20 April 1962 – 3 May 1968 6 years, 13 days |
— |
104 | P. Sriskandarajah | Gopallawa | 22 June 1962 – 8 February 1967 4 years, 231 days |
— |
105 | Gardiye Punchihewage Amaraseela Silva | Gopallawa | 22 June 1962 – 1973 | (34th chief justice) 1973–1974 |
106 | Lionel Sirimanne | Gopallawa | — | |
107 | V. Manicavasagar | Gopallawa | 17 December 1964 – 14 December 1967 2 years, 362 days |
— |
108 | Eugene Reginald de Fonseka | Gopallawa | — | |
109 | A. C. Alles | Gopallawa | 1964–1974 | — |
110 | V. Sivasubramaniam | Gopallawa | 1966–1970 | — |
111 | Leonard de Silva | Gopallawa | 16 August 1966 – | — |
112 | George Samerawickrame | Gopallawa | 18 November 1966 – 9 April 1981 14 years, 142 days |
— |
113 | Victor Tennekoon | Gopallawa | 8 February 1967 – 1 July 1970 3 years, 143 days |
(35th chief justice) 1 January 1974 – 8 September 1977 3 years, 250 days |
114 | Christopher Weeramantry | Gopallawa | 1967 – 30 April 1972 | — |
115 | Oswald Leslie De Kretser III | Gopallawa | 1968 – 21 January 1972 | — |
116 | Samarapilimudalige Wijayatilake | Gopallawa | 1968 – 16 May 1975 | — |
117 | Pandita Gunawadena | Gopallawa | 1968 – 10 February 1971 | — |
118 | Vincent Thamotheram | Gopallawa | 23 March 1970 – 1980 | — |
119 | Hector Deheragoda | Gopallawa | 22 February 1972 – 27 December 1976 4 years, 309 days |
— |
120 | Cuda Banda Walgampaya | Gopallawa | 22 February 1972 – 3 January 1976 3 years, 315 days |
— |
121 | Jaya Pathirana | Gopallawa | 22 February 1972 – 1978 | — |
122 | Dharmadasa Wimalaratne | Gopallawa | 10 April 1972 – 15 September 1985 13 years, 158 days |
— |
123 | Tellipalai Rajaratnam | Gopallawa | 10 April 1972 – 1978 | — |
124 | Donald Sirimanne | Gopallawa | 1973 – | — |
125 | Cyril Udalagama | Gopallawa | 1 January 1974 – | — |
126 | T. A. de S. Wijesundera | Gopallawa | 1 January 1974 – | — |
127 | Malcolm Perera | Gopallawa | 1 January 1974 – | — |
128 | Izadean Mohamed Ismail | Gopallawa | 1 January 1974 – 18 December 1981 7 years, 351 days |
— |
129 | Joe Weereratne | Gopallawa | 1 January 1974 – | — |
130 | Arulampalam Vythialingam | Gopallawa | 1 January 1974 – | — |
131 | Noel Tittawela | Gopallawa | 1 January 1974 – | — |
132 | Suppiah Sharvananda | Gopallawa | 1 January 1974 – 29 October 1984 10 years, 302 days |
(37th chief justice) 29 October 1984 – 22 February 1988 3 years, 116 days |
133 | Somaratne Walpita | Gopallawa | 1 January 1974 – | — |
134 | Wilmot Gunasekera | Gopallawa | 2 May 1974 – | — |
135 | Barnes Ratwatte II | Gopallawa | 2 December 1974 – 22 November 1983 8 years, 355 days |
— |
136 | Raja Wanasundera | Gopallawa | 5 June 1975 – | — |
137 | Percy Colin-Thomé | Gopallawa | 12 January 1976 – | — |
138 | Neville Samarakoon | Jayewardene | — | (36th chief justice) 1977 – 21 October 1984 |
139 | Victor Perera | Jayewardene | 24 July 1981 – 18 August 1983 2 years, 25 days |
— |
140 | J. F. A. Soza | Jayewardene | 26 January 1982 – 3 February 1984 2 years, 8 days |
— |
141 | Parinda Ranasinghe | Jayewardene | 15 November 1982 – 1988 | (38th chief justice) 1988–1991 |
142 | Abdul Cader | Jayewardene | 8 December 1982 – 28 May 1985 2 years, 171 days |
— |
143 | Heevi Rodrigo | Jayewardene | 8 December 1982 – 4 December 1984 1 year, 362 days |
— |
144 | E. A. D. Atukorale | Jayewardene | 27 November 1984 – | — |
145 | Herbert Thambiah | Jayewardene | 27 November 1984 – 1991 | (39th chief justice) 1991 – 14 October 1991 |
146 | Lucian de Alwis | Jayewardene | 27 November 1984 – | — |
147 | O. S. M. Seneviratne | Jayewardene | 10 February 1986 – 1989 | — |
148 | H. A. G. de Silva | Jayewardene | 10 February 1986 – | — |
149 | Mark Fernando | Jayewardene | 4 March 1988 – 2005 | — |
150 | K. M. M. B. Kulatunga | Premadasa | 1989– | — |
151 | A. R. B. Amerasinghe | Premadasa | — | |
152 | A. R. N. Fernando | Premadasa | — | |
153 | Ameer Ismail | Premadasa | 1990–1994 | — |
154 | Andrew Ranjan Perera | Premadasa | — | |
155 | P. Ramanathan | Premadasa | — | |
156 | G. P. S. de Silva | Premadasa | — | (40th chief justice) 1991–1999 |
157 | Sarath N. Silva | Kumaratunga | 1995 – 16 September 1999 | (41st chief justice) 16 September 1999 – 7 June 2009 9 years, 264 days |
158 | Shirani Bandaranayake[h][i] | Kumaratunga | 30 October 1996 – 18 May 2011 14 years, 200 days |
(43rd chief justice) 18 May 2011 – 13 January 2013 1 year, 240 days 28–29 January 2015 1 day |
159 | Asoka De Zoysa Gunawardana | Kumaratunga | 1996–1999 | — |
21st century
Current justices
- As of 28 February 2025
List of justices appointed to the Supreme Court: 2000–present | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
No. | Name | Appointed by | Start / end / length of service | |
Puisne Justice | Chief Justice | |||
160 | C. V. Vigneswaran | Kumaratunga | March 2001 – October 2004 | — |
161 | Asoka de Silva | Kumaratunga | 1 August 2001 – 8 June 2009 7 years, 311 days |
(42nd chief justice) 8 June 2009 – 17 May 2011 1 year, 343 days |
162 | Chandra Nihal Jayasinghe | Kumaratunga | 19 February 2003 – 29 February 2008 5 years, 10 days |
— |
163 | Nimal Dissanayake | Kumaratunga | ? – 23 April 2008 | — |
164 | Shiranee Tilakawardane | Kumaratunga | 19 February 2003 – 5 April 2014 11 years, 45 days |
— |
165 | Nimal Gamini Amaratunga | Kumaratunga | January 2005 – March 2014 | — |
166 | Saleem Marsoof | Kumaratunga | February 2005 – 2014 | — |
167 | Andrew Somawansa | M. Rajapaksa | 28 May 2006 – October 2008 | — |
168 | Jagath Balapatabendi | M. Rajapaksa | — | |
169 | K. Sripavan | M. Rajapaksa | 27 March 2008 – 30 January 2015 6 years, 309 days |
(44th chief justice) 30 January 2015 – 28 February 2017 2 years, 29 days |
170 | P. A. Ratnayake | M. Rajapaksa | 2 May 2008 – 15 February 2013 4 years, 289 days |
— |
171 | Chandra Ekanayake | M. Rajapaksa | November 2008 – March 2016 | — |
172 | S. I. Imam | M. Rajapaksa | 9 January 2009 – 20 February 2020 11 years, 42 days |
— |
173 | R. K. S. Suresh Chandra | M. Rajapaksa | 17 June 2010 – July 2012 | — |
174 | Sathya Hettige | M. Rajapaksa | 10 July 2011 – 18 April 2014 2 years, 282 days |
— |
175 | Priyasath Dep | M. Rajapaksa | 10 July 2011 – 1 March 2017 5 years, 234 days |
(45th chief justice) 1 March 2017 – 12 October 2018 1 year, 225 days |
176 | Eva Wanasundera | M. Rajapaksa | 7 July 2012 – 14 December 2018 6 years, 160 days |
— |
— | Mohan Peiris[i] | M. Rajapaksa | — | 15 January 2013 – 28 January 2015 2 years, 13 days[i] |
177 | Rohini Marasinghe | M. Rajapaksa | 26 April 2013 – November 2015 | — |
178 | Buwaneka Aluwihare | M. Rajapaksa | 4 December 2013 – Januaray 2024 | — |
179 | Sisira de Abrew | M. Rajapaksa | 7 May 2014 – 2 June 2021 7 years, 26 days |
— |
180 | Sarath de Abrew | M. Rajapaksa | 7 May 2014 – January 2016 | — |
181 | Priyantha Jayawardena | M. Rajapaksa | 7 May 2014 – February 2024 | — |
182 | Upali Abeyratne | M. Rajapaksa | 17 December 2014 – August 2017 | — |
183 | Anil Goonaratne | Sirisena | 30 January 2015 – December 2017 | — |
184 | K. T. Chitrasiri | Sirisena | 3 December 2015 – February 2018 | — |
185 | Nalin Perera | Sirisena | 3 March 2016 – 12 October 2018 2 years, 223 days |
(46th chief justice) 12 October 2018 – 29 April 2019 199 days |
186 | Prasanna Jayawardena | Sirisena | 16 June 2016 – 24 December 2019 3 years, 191 days |
— |
187 | Vijith Malalgoda | Sirisena | May 2017 – 19 August 2024 | — |
188 | Lalith Dehideniya | Sirisena | 16 January 2018 – 2023 | — |
189 | Murdu Fernando | Sirisena | 9 March 2018 – 1 December 2024 6 years, 267 days |
(48th chief justice) 2 December 2024 – present 101 days |
190 | Padman Surasena | Sirisena | 9 January 2019 – present 6 years, 63 days |
— |
191 | S. Thurairaja | Sirisena | 9 January 2019 – present 6 years, 63 days |
— |
192 | Gamini Amarasekera | Sirisena | 9 January 2019 – present 6 years, 63 days |
— |
193 | Jayantha Jayasuriya | Sirisena | — | (47th chief justice) 29 April 2019 – 10 October 2024 5 years, 164 days |
194 | Yasantha Kodagoda | G. Rajapaksa | 20 March 2020 – present 4 years, 358 days |
— |
195 | Dilip Nawaz | G. Rajapaksa | 1 December 2020 – present 4 years, 102 days |
— |
196 | Kumudini Wickremasinghe | G. Rajapaksa | 1 December 2020 – present 4 years, 102 days |
— |
197 | Shiran Gooneratne | G. Rajapaksa | 1 December 2020 – present 4 years, 102 days |
— |
198 | Janak de Silva | G. Rajapaksa | 1 December 2020 – present 4 years, 102 days |
— |
199 | Achala Wengappuli | G. Rajapaksa | 1 December 2020 – present 4 years, 102 days |
— |
200 | Mahinda Samayawardhena | G. Rajapaksa | 1 December 2020 – present 4 years, 102 days |
— |
201 | Arjuna Obeyesekere | G. Rajapaksa | 14 June 2021 – present 3 years, 272 days |
— |
202 | Priyantha Fernando | Wickremesinghe | 6 February 2023 – present 2 years, 35 days |
— |
203 | Sobitha Rajakaruna | Dissanayake | 12 January 2025 – present 60 days |
— |
204 | Menaka Wijesundara | Dissanayake | 12 January 2025 – present 60 days |
— |
205 | Sampath B. Abeykoon | Dissanayake | 12 January 2025 – present 60 days |
— |
206 | Sampath Wijeratne | Dissanayake | 12 January 2025 – present 60 days |
— |
See also
Notes
- ^ Provisional chief justice.
- ^ a b c d e The appointment was made in the capacity of acting governor.
- ^ a b c d e f g Acting puisne justice.
- ^ On leave (1 January – 28 April 1871).
- ^ a b Acting chief justice.
- ^ On leave (25 November 1890 – February 1891).
- ^ Acting puisne justice (12 May 1903 – 28 November 1910)
- ^ Shirani Bandaranayake was impeached by Parliament on 11 January 2013, with 155 votes in favour and 49 against. She was subsequently removed from office on 13 January 2013 after President Mahinda Rajapaksa ratified the impeachment motion.
- ^ a b c Following the election of President Maithripala Sirisena, the government declared Mohan Peiris’s appointment as Chief Justice void ab initio, leading to his removal from office and the reinstatement of Shirani Bandaranayake.
References
- ^ Amerasinghe, A. Ranjit B. (1986). The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka: The First 185 Years. Sarvodaya Book Pub. Services. ISBN 978-955-599-000-4.
- ^ Weerakkody, Dinesh (2013-02-13). "The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka". www.ft.lk. Archived from the original on 2019-09-17. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
- ^ "Constitution of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka - Chapter XV - The Judiciary". www.commonlii.org. 2000. Archived from the original on 2024-04-21. Retrieved 2025-03-03.
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