Bar Association condemns allegations made by Government MP

27-Jul-2026

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The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has strongly condemned what it described as baseless allegations made in Parliament against its President, Rajeev Amarasuriya, stating that the accusations were politically motivated and made under the protection of parliamentary privilege.

The BASL issued a statement in response to allegations levelled by Government MP Asitha Niroshana Egoda Vithana in Parliament.

The statement said that the misuse of parliamentary privilege to make false and misleading claims with the intention of deceiving the public was a matter of serious concern.

"Such politically motivated attacks will not succeed. The legal community remains united in safeguarding the independence of the judiciary and the dignity of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka," the statement said.

The Association also referred to its previously stated position on the proposal to increase the retirement age of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges.

It cautioned that constitutional amendments affecting the higher judiciary should not be introduced in haste or to address temporary circumstances.

"Amendments of such importance must be based on genuine institutional necessity, transparent justification and broad consultation with all stakeholders. Public confidence in constitutional governance depends not only on the substance of such reforms but also on the manner in which they are introduced," it said.

The BASL further emphasised that, throughout its history, it had consistently spoken out in defence of democracy, judicial independence, human rights and the right to protest, regardless of which party was in power.

"We have never engaged in partisan politics, nor do we intend to do so in the future," the statement added.

The Association also challenged MP Egoda Vithana to repeat the allegations outside Parliament without the protection of parliamentary privilege, warning that legal action would be initiated if he did so.