CA suspends Puttalam High Court Judge’s order to jail lady lawyer

In a swift response to an urgent appeal, the Court of Appeal today issued an interim order suspending the decision made by the Puttalam High Court Judge to remand a lady lawyer over an alleged contemptuous conduct.

 

The decision was made following a writ petition filed by Rajeev Amarasuriya, the newly elected President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL).

 

The controversial ruling, which was issued last Friday, placed the lawyer behind bars in connection with charges of contempt of court. Amarasuriya's petition invoked the Court of Appeal’s jurisdiction, questioning the legitimacy of the Puttalam High Court's order, which he described as wrongful, arbitrary, and irrational.

 

Legal practitioners have expressed growing concern over the judge’s decision, with many raising alarms about the potential misuse of judicial powers.