A new investigation by The Examiner has raised fresh questions over SLPP MP Namal Rajapaksa’s admission to Sri Lanka Law College in 2009, alleging irregularities in the recognition and completeness of his academic qualifications.

According to the report, Law College admitted Rajapaksa on the same day he submitted his application, despite City University of London — where Rajapaksa claimed to have completed his LLB — not being recognised by Law College at the time.

An RTI response cited in the story shows the university was added to the approved list only on 15 October 2009, nearly three weeks after his enrolment.

The Examiner further reports that Rajapaksa’s student file does not contain a degree certificate, only a transcript and a letter from City University confirming a “Third Class degree”.

The publication also noted discrepancies between the transcript submitted to Law College and a separate degree certificate produced years later for a master’s programme, which carries the signature of a vice chancellor who had already left office.

Rajapaksa has rejected the allegations as entirely false. Speaking to reporters he said that the government initiated a B report soon after taking office seeking to investigate his degree, but months of inquiries had not produced any findings in court.

“This government, just weeks after taking office, submitted a B report to investigate my degree. Several months have passed, but nothing has been officially reported. Now they are frightened by the Nugegoda rally and spreading false propaganda. We will respond to all these allegations on the 21st,” he said, referring to the opposition rally scheduled for Friday, November 21.

Rajapaksa also says the University of London has published a list where his name appears among its list of 100 notable alumni. (Newswire)

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The Department of Examinations has announced the postponement of two state examinations due to adverse weather conditions experienced in Sri Lanka.

The Commissioner General of Examinations Amith Jayasundara announced that the 2024 Sri Lanka Law College General Entrance Examination and the First Efficiency Bar Examination for Senior Statisticians / Statisticians of the Department of Census and Statistics – 2016 (2024) have been postponed.

Addressing the media, Amith Jayasundara said the examinations were originally scheduled for 01 and 02 December, and candidates from various parts of the country were to report to Colombo for the examinations. 

He said, however, that due to various areas being severely affected by inclement weather, a decision has been taken to postpone the two exams.

Amith Jayasundara added that the rescheduled dates of the examinations will be notified soon. (Newswire)

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The Sri Lanka Law College has launched its new website https://www.sllc.ac.lk/home developed with the support of the European Union-funded ‘Support to Justice Reform (JURE)’ project, to enhance legal education. 

This project is jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNICEF in Sri Lanka and facilitated by the Ministry of Justice. 

This initiative is part of the broader digitalisation action plan led by the Ministry of Justice within its reform mechanisms. In addition to supporting the website, the EU-funded JURE project will continue to support Law College in realising catalytical reforms in the justice education sector in Sri Lanka.

The new website was launched on Monday at the Law College Auditorium, with the participation of Chief Justice, Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC; Secretary, Ministry of Justice Nihal Ranasinghe, Principal of Sri Lanka Law College, Dr Athula Pathinayake; Deputy Head of Cooperation, Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka, Edoardo Spacca; and Officer-In-Charge, UNDP in Sri Lanka, Malin Herwig.

Issuing a statement, UNDP Sri Lanka said the newly launched website marks the beginning of many user-friendly digital learning tools to be introduced for students, faculty, and legal professionals. The website provides access to academic resources, and up-to-date administrative matters, and engages students in interactive learning to enhance the efficiency and accessibility to legal education. The future phases of the website under the JURE project will include the integration of a Student Management System as well as a Learning Management System (LMS).

The Sri Lanka Law College operates under the Incorporated Council of Legal Education constituted under the Incorporated Council of Legal Education Ordinance No.2 of 1900 to administer legal education to individuals aspiring to join the Bar of Sri Lanka. It is the only institution offering a complete course of study leading to examinations for those seeking admission to the legal profession. While academic institutions offer law courses, eligibility to practice law in Sri Lanka is granted only after admission to the profession as outlined by the Incorporated Council of Legal Education. Therefore, the Law College serves as the exclusive gateway to the legal profession in Sri Lanka, with graduates becoming Attorneys-at-Law.

Highlighting the importance of this enhancement, the Chief Justice, Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC, stated, “This website will enable Sri Lanka Law College to reach out to the world, and in turn, allow the world to connect with the law college. No matter where we are, access to the Law College will always be at our fingertips. Beyond education, this platform will support a wide range of activities integral to the Law College’s mission. I wish to extend my deepest gratitude to all those who have collaborated to bring the Law College into the global digital landscape. The partner agencies have come together as a united team, not only to support the Law College but also to strengthen key areas of Sri Lanka’s justice sector. Thank you for recognizing Sri Lanka Law College as an institution worthy of facilitation and support, ensuring that our services reach a broader audience and contribute to a more efficient justice mechanism in Sri Lanka.”

Noting the support of this EU-funded initiative, the Deputy Head of Cooperation at the Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka, Mr. Edoardo Spacca commented that “Effective and quality legal education requires effective tools. Today, with support from the EU-funded JURE project, the Sri Lankan Law College has been provided with one of those tools, a new online platform that I believe will sustain the efforts of its students to become the legal professionals that Sri Lanka needs to face the challenges lying ahead on the path to development and prosperity”.

Emphasizing the role of UNDP, Ms. Malin Herwig, Officer in Charge, UNDP in Sri Lanka, noted, “UNDP is proud to support digitization efforts in the justice sector, marking a major milestone in improving the efficiency and accessibility of legal education in Sri Lanka. By digitizing such services, it will not only enhance transparency but also improve efficiency, strengthening legal professionals in the country embracing digital solutions to support the rule of law.”

The Principal of Sri Lanka Law College, Dr Athula Pathinayake noted, “For many years, we operated with limited resources, managing with a simple webpage. However, recognizing the need for a more robust platform, we initiated discussions with UNDP in 2023, which ultimately led to this project. Today, we express our profound gratitude to the JURE project, funded by the European Union and jointly implemented by UNDP and UNICEF, facilitated by the Ministry of Justice, for playing a pivotal role in developing this website. This is not just a webpage; it’s a hub for many services and will serve as the foundation for our student management system, learning management system, library, digital library, research hub, HR system, and more. While these areas are still under development, I am confident that, once completed, this website will function as a one-stop shop for our users.”

Link to website: https://www.sllc.ac.lk/home (Newswire)

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President Ranil Wickremesinghe has announced the allocation of government-owned land to enhance the facilities of the Sri Lanka Law College.

The President announced this decision during a deliberation held at the Parliament Complex on Wednesday (Dec 06).

Highlighting the historical significance of Sri Lanka Law College, which is set to celebrate its 150th anniversary in 2024, President Ranil Wickremesinghe emphasized its noteworthy contribution, having produced three presidents.

Minister of Urban Development and Housing Prasanna Ranatunga, conveyed that a plot of land owned by the Urban Development Authority (UDA) will be provided to Sri Lanka Law College per the President’s directive.

President Wickremesinghe directed relevant authorities to promptly formulate plans for the immediate enhancement of the law college’s facilities. In the initial phase, a 40-perch plot will be allocated, with the remainder to be provided as per the requirements outlined in the comprehensive plan, following consultations with the Ministry of Justice.

Dr. Atula Pathinayake, the Principal of the Law College, expressed gratitude during the event, noting that in the school’s 150-year history, no land had been allocated to improve student facilities. He thanked President Ranil Wickremesinghe for the special attention given to this matter.

The gathering included Secretary to the President Saman Ekanayake, Secretary of the Ministry of Urban Development and Housing W.S. Satyananda, Chairman of the Urban Development Authority Nimesh Herath, officials from the Attorney General’s Department and representatives from the students’ union of the Law College. (NewsWire)

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The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms has revealed it does not agree with the decision taken by the Council of Legal Education to make the mandatory medium of examination of the Sri Lanka Law College English.

According to a statement by the Parliament of Sri Lanka, the disagreement arose when the Ministerial Consultative Committee met in Parliament on Friday (10) under the chairmanship of Minister (Dr.) Wijayadasa Rajapakshe in Parliament.

The members present questioned the Law College Principal Dr. Athula Pathinayake who was present at the Committee, regarding the purpose and reasoning behind making the mandatory medium of examination of the Sri Lanka Law College English.

The members were of the view that many who are already in the legal field have excelled well and they have done so by writing for Law College examinations under the liberty to sit for examinations in a preferred language. Therefore, the Committee was of the view that those who wish to become lawyers writing for exams in their mother tongue have never been a hindrance to excellence.

Moreover, the Committee Members were of the view that Primary Courts mainly use Sinhala and Tamil as the main language during court proceedings. It is only the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court that use English. Furthermore, the members present pointed out that in the North and where there are a majority of Tamils and Muslims, Court hearings are conducted in Tamil and in areas where a majority are Sinhalese court proceedings are carried out in Sinhala. 

The members further mentioned that it is a ground reality that English education is lacking in most rural areas and by making Examinations mandatory in English is a violation of fundamental rights. Thus, the Committee was of the view that a student is required to have the liberty to face the examination in their mother tongue which is their primary language. 

Given the context, the Ministerial Consultative Committee on Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms said it does not agree with the decision taken by the Council of Legal Education on the said matter. (NewsWire)

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