Senior lawyer Kaushalya Navaratne has officially taken up the role of the 27th President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) for the year 2023/24, beginning his tenure on 25 March.
At the ceremonial event held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH), Navaratne gave an assurance that both he and the BASL will continue to operate independently, without any political biases.
Navaratne was declared the only nominee for the position and was elected uncontested as the BASL President on 11 January. The 49th Convocation of the BASL witnessed his induction, with Attorney General Sanjaya Rajaratnam also present at the event. Navaratne succeeds former BASL President Attorney-at-Law Saliya Pieris, PC, whose tenure ended on 24 March.
In a statement marking the completion of his tenure as the 26th BASL President, Pieris urged the Bar to remain committed to the principles that form the foundation of the legal profession and to protect the rights outlined in the Constitution as the intangible heritage of the people.
