In a rare and unexpected move, two Supreme Court judges who serve on the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) made a surprise visit to the Marawila Magistrate’s Court last week. This came after several complaints were made against the magistrate in charge, according to The Court Reporter.
The visit carried out by Supreme Court Justices S. Thurairaja and Janak de Silva, who are members of the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) led to the immediate suspension of the magistrate Asela Silva.
Justice Surasena dressed casually to blend in as an ordinary litigant, while Justice Amarasekara wore a gown to appear as a lawyer.
According to the Court Reporter, the JSC had received serious allegations about the magistrate’s behaviour. After observing what was described as “concerning behaviour,” they acted quickly and suspended the magistrate on the spot, pending a full inquiry.
The exact details of the complaints haven’t been made public, but they are believed to involve possible misconduct or ethical issues. The JSC hasn’t officially commented yet, but an initial investigation is expected.
