BASL president elected

by M. P. Muttiah

President's Counsel Nihal Jayamanne was elected the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) with over 80 percent of votes according to the results so far declared from various parts of the country.

He is far ahead of his rival, Attorney at Law R. R. Thangarajah. An official announcement will be made tomorrow when results from outstations are received, a spokesman for the Bar Association told the Sunday Observer.

Nihal Jayamanne told our correspondent that he was satisfied that the members of the legal profession had once again risen above petty issues, political and racial considerations. He added that there were issues that the new Executive Committee and he would have to deal with.

Although these issues might not have direct bearing on the matters concerning the welfare of the Bar Association members, but of interest to the profession and its members as the might concern the processes of administration of justice.

Jayamanne stressed the need for the cordial relationship between the Bench and the Bar as it had been for centuries. He regretted that this relationship had been soured in recent times.

Jayamanne is a leading civil lawyer who has appeared in several constitutional and election laws related cases.

He is an old boy of St. Joseph College, Colombo and was a senior prefect and the president of the Union Society of the College. Though he entered the University to read for a BSc degree, he later entered the Law College and passed out as an Attorney-at-Law.

In 1994 he was appointed to the Board of Air Lanka. His father J. M. Jayamanne was a leading lawyer and a close associate of the late Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike.

He will take over duties on 25th March 2006.
