Eastern high court gets new judge

[TamilNet, Tuesday, 25 February 2003, 01:20 GMT]
A senior lawyer from Jaffna unofficial bar Mr.S.Paramarajah Monday assumed duties as the Eastern High Court Judge. He took oaths as a High Court Judge before the Chief Justice Mr.Sarath N.Silva last week in Colombo, legal sources said.

High Court Judge Mr.Paramarajah Monday paid homage to the historic Koneswaram Temple in Trincomalee before commencing his official duties at the Trincomalee session of the Eastern High Court. He was offered "Kalanchi" by the temple priest after special Poojah, sources said.

The Eastern High Court, which has jurisdiction over two districts, Batticaloa and Trincomalee, was without a permanent or an acting Judge for more than two months since the last judge Mr.A. N.Ramachandran went on retirement in December last year, legal sources said.

The activities of the eastern HC came to a standstill for the last two months. All the cases including the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) cases and bail applications filed in PTA cases were being postponed by the court staff until a judge was appointed, legal sources said.


Judge Mr.S.Paramarajah ( third from left)at Trincomalee Koneswaram Temple with State Counsel Mr.Kumara Ratnam ( fourth from left)