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Saliya Peiris wins BASL in landslide 

25 Feb 2021

  • Bar took a principled position: Pieris PC 

  President’s Counsel (PC) Saliya Pieris won the election for the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) at the vote held yesterday (24), beating his other contestant Kuvera De Zoysa PC by a landslide.  “This is a victory for a strong and independent Bar and it shows that the Bar is willing to take a principled position free of racism and free of all things that divide us,” Pieris PC said, speaking to The Morning shortly after his victory was confirmed.  Pieris has won the BASL Presidential election by a margin of 2,355 votes, with Pieris having secured 5,162 votes and De Zoysa 2,807 votes.  Pieris PC, the former Deputy President of the BASL, served as the Chairman of the Office of Missing Persons and as a Commissioner of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL). His career has spanned over 28 years in the legal profession.  Speaking to The Morning yesterday, BASL Secretary Rajeev Amarasuriya said that although the voting population for the election is approximately 17,226 members, the actual election turnover had been considerably less.  The days preceding the election campaign saw targeted mudslinging campaigns against the contestants on social media.  Meanwhile, Amarasuriya was re-elected in January this year as the Secretary of the BASL, uncontested, for the term 2021/2022.  The BASL was established in 1974 as the top body representing lawyers. Presidents are elected by the Body for a two-year term. The outgoing President is Kalinga Indatissa PC.


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