Shirani Bandaranayake
Shirani Bandaranayake | |
|---|---|
| 43rd Chief Justice of Sri Lanka | |
| In office 28 January 2015 – 29 January 2015 | |
| Appointed by | Maithripala Sirisena |
| Preceded by | Mohan Peiris (De facto) |
| Succeeded by | K. Sripavan |
| In office 18 May 2011 – 13 January 2013 | |
| Appointed by | Mahinda Rajapaksa |
| Preceded by | Asoka de Silva |
| Succeeded by | Mohan Peiris (De facto) |
| Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka | |
| In office 30 October 1996 – 18 May 2011 | |
| Appointed by | Chandrika Kumaratunga |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Upatissa Atapattu Bandaranayake Wasala Mudiyanse Ralahamilage Shirani Anshumala Bandaranayake April 1958 (age 67) Kurunegala, North Western Province, Dominion of Ceylon (Now Sri Lanka) |
| Spouse | Pradeep Kariyawasam |
| Children | Shaveen Bandaranayake Kariyawasam |
| Alma mater | Anuradhapura Central College University of Colombo School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London |
| Profession | Academic, Lawyer |
Upatissa Atapattu Bandaranayake Wasala Mudiyanse Ralahamilage Shirani Anshumala Bandaranayake (born April 1958), known as Shirani Bandaranayake (Sinhala: ශිරාණි බණ්ඩාරනායක), served as the 43rd Chief Justice of Sri Lanka. Although a qualified lawyer, she has never practiced law. After university Bandaranayake entered academia, holding a number of senior positions at the University of Colombo, including associate professor of law and the dean of the Faculty of Law at the University of Colombo. She was first appointed to the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in 1996, becoming Sri Lanka's first female Supreme Court Judge. Bandaranayake was appointed chief justice in May 2011 following the mandatory retirement of Asoka de Silva. Bandaranayake was controversially impeached by Parliament and then removed from office by President Mahinda Rajapaksa in January 2013. and on 28 January 2015 the government of Sri Lanka, had removed all obstacles for Bandaranayake to hold her position as the 43rd Chief Justice by the President Maithripala Sirisena, on the ground that her 2013 impeachment was unlawful and as such the appointment of Mohan Peiris, her successor, was void Ab initio. This paved the way for Bandaranayake to resume duties on 28 January 2015. She retired from the position on 29 January 2015, one day after her reappointment, claiming support for a free and fair Judiciary in Sri Lanka.