Supreme Court Judge Nalin Perera has taken oath as the country’s 46th Chief Justice before President Maithripala Sirisena.The swearing in ceremony took place at the President’s official residence.Nalin Perera was appointed as the new Chief Justice following the expiration of the term of the former Chief Justice Priyasad Dep.
Judge Nalin Perera’s name was nominated by President Maithripala Sirisena and was approved by the Constitutional Council on Friday (12).
A past student of St.Thomas’ College Kotte and Guruthalawa, Nalin Perera entered the judicial service in the year 1980. He was appointed as a Magistrate in 1984.
After functioning as the Magistrate of Mt. Lavinia, Walasmulla, Kalutara and Colombo Fort, Justice Perera was appointed a District Judge and an assistant District Judge in 1990. Justice Nalin Perera was appointed as a high court judge in 2001 and served in this capacity at Ratnapura, Kandy and Nuwara Eliya. Justice Perera was one of the first judges chosen to serve in the newly established Civil Appellate High Courts in Kandy.
He was appointed as a Judge of the Supreme Court on the 3rd of March 2016.
President Maithripala Sirisena noted that Nalin Perera was the only nominee that he submitted to the Constitutional Council and that he was picked due to his seniority and lengthy track record. President Sirisena noted that over the past 30 years his predecessors made appointments to the position of Chief Justice not taking into consideration the seniority of justices.
The head of state noted that his decision was also influenced by a number of judges who called on the president to appoint an individual who started from the bottom of the judicial services sector as a mark of respect for their service.
