New Army Chief of Staff named disregarding Court of Appeal intervention

The government has named Major General W.H.K.S Peiris as the new Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Army with effect from 16 December 2023. The position fell vacant on Oct 13, 2023 when Maj. Gen. Sanjaya Wanasinghe retired.

Maj. Gen. Peiris of the Gajaba Regiment received promotion to the rank of Maj. Gen on May 07, 2021.

The Army Headquarters announced the new appointment in the wake of Court of Appeal issuing instructions to Army Commander Lt. Gen. Vikum Liyanage to promote petitioner Brig. Chandana Ranaweera to the rank of Maj. Gen. with effect from 01 Jan., 2021.

The Court of Appeal bench consisting of Justices Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Chamath Moraes also directed that the petitioner, an officer of the Light Infantry, be paid salary, etc., he is entitled to as a Major General, with effect from that day.

The ruling pertained to a fundamental rights application filed by Brigadier Ranaweera in terms of Article 140 of the Constitution.

Attorney-at-Law Namal Rajapaksa, counsel for the petitioner is on record as having said that there had never been a previous instance of a court issuing such a directive to any other Commander of the Army following an intervention made by the Human Rights Commission (HRC).

(SF)