PM and Opp. Leader agree on civil society reps to Constitutional Council
January 23, 2026 05:46 pm
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya and Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa have agreed on the appointments of civil society representatives to the Constitutional Council (CC).
Accordingly, Prof. Wasantha Seneviratne, Austin Fernando, and Ranjith Ariyaratne have been proposed for the positions.
Senior Professor (Chair) Wasantha Seneviratne currently serves as the Chair Professor of Public and International Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo.
An Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka since 1995, she is also the Director of the Centre for the Study of Human Rights (CSHR), a leading research institute affiliated with the University of Colombo.
Former presidential secretary Austin Fernando joined Sri Lanka Administrative Service (SLAS) in 1963 and served in various capacities in the public sector. He has held positions as Government Agent for Polonnaruwa District and Nuwara Eliya District, Commissioner of Cooperative Development and Postmaster General, Secretary at Ministry of Rehabilitation and Ministry of Public Administration, Home Affairs and Provincial Councils and Indigenous Medicine and Defence.
He was the Governor of the Eastern Province in 2015 and also served as Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India and as a presidential advisor.
Ranjith Ariyarathne, a renowned personality in SLAS (Special Grade), has previously served as Secretary to the ministries of Buddhist Affairs, Religious and Cultural affairs, National Unity and Social Assurance and Mass Media.
