Ranjit Abeysuriya
Encyclopedia
Deshamanya
Ranjit Abeysuriya, PC
is a Sri Lanka
n lawyer. He was the Chairmen of the National Police Commission, Director Public Prosecutions of the Attorney General's Department
, President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and member of the Law Commission of Sri Lanka.
Educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo
and at the newly established law department of the University of Ceylon
along with Lakshman Kadirgamar
. Passing the law exams at the Colombo Law College he became an advocate in 1955 and began his practice in Galle
. Thereafter he joined the Attorney General's Department as Crown Counsel and in 1968 gained a Master's degree in Public Law from the Stanford University
. In 1975 he became the Director Public Prosecutions at the Attorney General's Department, however left to join the unofficial bar
following political victimization. In 1988, he was appointed a President's Counsel
.
In 1991 he was elected as President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, followed by the post of president of the SAARC Law. In 1998 he was made a member of the Law Commission and was awarded the title Deshamanya
by the Government of Sri Lanka. In 2002 he was appointed Chairman of the National Police Commission. He was a board member of the Duncan White
Sports Foundation.
Deshamanya
Deshamanya is the second highest Sri Lankan national honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a civil honour.It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name....
Ranjit Abeysuriya, PC
President's Counsel (Sri Lanka)
President's Counsel is a professional rank, as their status is conferred by the president, recognised by the courts and wear silk gowns of a special design...
is a Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
n lawyer. He was the Chairmen of the National Police Commission, Director Public Prosecutions of the Attorney General's Department
Attorney-General's Department (Sri Lanka)
The Attorney-General's Department is a non-ministerial government department in Sri Lanka that supports the Attorney General and his/her deputy the Solicitor General. It handles public prosecution and advises the government on legal matters...
, President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and member of the Law Commission of Sri Lanka.
Educated at the prestigious Royal College Colombo
Royal College Colombo
The Royal College of Colombo was founded in January 1835 in Colombo. It is considered to be the leading Public School in Sri Lanka...
and at the newly established law department of the University of Ceylon
University of Ceylon
The University of Ceylon was the only university in Sri Lanka from 1942 until 1972. It had several constituent campuses at various locations around Sri Lanka. The University of Ceylon Act No. 1 of 1972, replaced it with the University of Sri Lanka which existed from 1973 to 1978. In 1978 it was...
along with Lakshman Kadirgamar
Lakshman Kadirgamar
Sri Lankabhimanya Lakshman Kadirgamar PC was a Sri Lankan diplomat, politician and a lawyer. He served as Minister of Foreign Affairs of Sri Lanka from 1994 to 2001 and again from April 2004 until his assassination in August 2005...
. Passing the law exams at the Colombo Law College he became an advocate in 1955 and began his practice in Galle
Galle
Galle is a city situated on the southwestern tip of Sri Lanka, 119 km from Colombo. Galle is the capital city of Southern Province of Sri Lanka and it lies in Galle District....
. Thereafter he joined the Attorney General's Department as Crown Counsel and in 1968 gained a Master's degree in Public Law from the Stanford University
Stanford University
The Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly referred to as Stanford University or Stanford, is a private research university on an campus located near Palo Alto, California. It is situated in the northwestern Santa Clara Valley on the San Francisco Peninsula, approximately northwest of San...
. In 1975 he became the Director Public Prosecutions at the Attorney General's Department, however left to join the unofficial bar
Unofficial Bar
The Unofficial Bar in Sri Lankan courts refer to the lawyers engaged in private practice, as opposed to the Official Bar, which is made up of lawyers working for the Attorney-General's Department....
following political victimization. In 1988, he was appointed a President's Counsel
President's Counsel (Sri Lanka)
President's Counsel is a professional rank, as their status is conferred by the president, recognised by the courts and wear silk gowns of a special design...
.
In 1991 he was elected as President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, followed by the post of president of the SAARC Law. In 1998 he was made a member of the Law Commission and was awarded the title Deshamanya
Deshamanya
Deshamanya is the second highest Sri Lankan national honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a civil honour.It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name....
by the Government of Sri Lanka. In 2002 he was appointed Chairman of the National Police Commission. He was a board member of the Duncan White
Duncan White
Duncan White, MBE was the first Sri Lankan athlete to win a medal for his country in an Olympic event. He won a silver in the 400-metre hurdles at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London, England...
Sports Foundation.