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Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka

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Coordinates: 6°56′06″N 79°51′42″E / 6.93507°N 79.86172°E / 6.93507; 79.86172
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Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka
Emblem of Sri Lanka
Map
6°56′06″N 79°51′42″E / 6.93507°N 79.86172°E / 6.93507; 79.86172
Established1971
JurisdictionSri Lanka
LocationHulftsdorp, Colombo, Sri Lanka
Coordinates6°56′06″N 79°51′42″E / 6.93507°N 79.86172°E / 6.93507; 79.86172
Authorised byGovernment of Sri Lanka
Appeals toSupreme Court of Sri Lanka
Number of positions20
Websitecourtofappeal.lk
President of the Court of Appeal
CurrentlyM. T. Mohammed Laffar
Since2 February 2025 (Acting)[1]
This article is part of a series on the
Politics of
Sri Lanka
Constitution
Previous Constitutions
Executive
Ministerial portfolios
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Ministerial portfolios
Legislature
Judiciary
  • President of the Court of Appeal
  • Viraj Dayaratne
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  • R. M. A. L. Rathnayake
Administrative divisions
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The Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka, commonly known as the Appeal Court, is the second most senior court in the Sri Lankan legal system, with only the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka above it. Established in 1971, under the Court of Appeal Act No. 44 of 1971, the Appeal Court has jurisdiction to hear appeals from the High Court or any lower court; its own decisions may be additionally appealed to the Supreme Court. The Appeal Court is headed by the president of the Court of Appeal.[2]

Composition

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The court consists of the president of the Court of Appeal along with six to nineteen other judges who are recommended for appointment by the president of Sri Lanka and approved by the parliamentary Council.

Judges can serve until the retirement age for judges, fixed by Constitution at 63 years.

Dress

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Appeal Court judges wear dark purple gowns when attending court. On special ceremonial occasions (such as ceremonial sittings of the Appeal Court) they wear dark purple gowns, barrister's bands, mantle, and a long wig.

Judges of the Court

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As of 14 March 2025
Current Judges of the Court of Appeal[3]
Judge Appointed by Start date /
length of service 		Current status Ref.
M. T. Mohammed Laffar G. Rajapaksa 1 December 2020
4 years, 144 days 		Acting president of the Court of Appeal
since 2 February 2025 		[4][1]
[5]
Sriyanath Karalliyadde G. Rajapaksa 1 December 2020
4 years, 144 days 		Judge [4]
Ratnapriya Gurusinghe G. Rajapaksa 1 December 2020
4 years, 144 days 		Judge [4]
Dhammika Ganepola G. Rajapaksa 1 December 2020
4 years, 144 days 		Judge [4]
Mayadunne Corea G. Rajapaksa 1 December 2020
4 years, 144 days 		Judge [4]
Prabaharan Kumararatnam G. Rajapaksa 1 December 2020
4 years, 144 days 		Judge [4]
Sasi Mahendran G. Rajapaksa 14 June 2021
3 years, 314 days 		Judge [6]
Ahsan Marikar Wickremesinghe 6 February 2023
2 years, 77 days 		Judge [7]
Sanjeeva Morais Wickremesinghe 7 August 2023
1 year, 260 days 		Judge [8]
Gihan Kulatunga Wickremesinghe 6 September 2024
230 days 		Judge [9]
Damitha Thotawatta Wickremesinghe 6 September 2024
230 days 		Judge [9]
Amal Ranaraja Wickremesinghe 6 September 2024
230 days 		Judge [9]
Mahen Gopallawa Wickremesinghe 6 September 2024
230 days 		Judge [9]
Sarath Dissanayake Dissanayake 9 January 2025
105 days 		Judge [10]
Rohitha Hettiarachchi Dissanayake 9 January 2025
105 days 		Judge [10]
Sumudu Premachandra Dissanayake 11 March 2025
44 days 		Judge [11]
K. Priyantha Fernando Dissanayake 11 March 2025
44 days 		Judge [11]
Annalingam Premashankar Dissanayake 11 March 2025
44 days 		Judge [11]
Vacant
Vacant

References

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  1. ^ a b "Justice Mohammed Thahir Laffar appointed Acting President of the Court of Appeal". www.ft.lk. 3 February 2025. Archived from the original on 17 February 2025. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  2. ^ Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka
  3. ^ "Honourable Judges of the Court of Appeal". courtofappeal.lk. 17 February 2025. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  4. ^ a b c d e f "President appoints new judges to the Supreme Court & Court of Appeal". english.newsfirst.lk. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  5. ^ "Term of Acting President of Court of Appeal extended". www.dailymirror.lk. 17 February 2025. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  6. ^ "New Judge of the Supreme Court and new President of the Court of Appeal sworn in". Times Online. 14 June 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2025.
  7. ^ "President Court of Appeal, Justice Fernando takes oaths as SC judge". Times Online. 6 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  8. ^ "High Court Judge Morais sworn in as Court of Appeal judge". Times Online. 7 August 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2025.
  9. ^ a b c d "President appoints new judges to Court of Appeal". www.adaderana.lk. 6 September 2024. Archived from the original on 11 September 2024. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
  10. ^ a b "President appoints two new judges to Court of Appeal". www.dailymirror.lk. 9 January 2025. Archived from the original on 9 January 2025. Retrieved 12 March 2025.
  11. ^ a b c "Three new Court of Appeal Justices sworn in". www.adaderana.lk. 11 March 2025. Archived from the original on 11 March 2025. Retrieved 11 March 2025.
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