The Jaffna Bar Association has expressed its deep concern over the sudden transfer of Jaffna High Court Judge A.G. Alexraja to the Badulla Civil Appeal High Court with effect from May 31.
The association, in a letter addressed to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, points out that doubts are being raised as to whether this transfer, which took place within a short period of a month after Judge Alexraja was appointed as the Jaffna High Court Judge on April 22, was due to external influence.
The Bar Association, pointing out that this judge had issued interim orders against the Northern Province Governor in relation to several writ petitions, says that it doubts whether the reason for this sudden transfer is those decisions.
While acknowledging that the Judicial Service Commission has the full power to transfer judges, the Jaffna Bar Association warns that such sudden transfers without explanation risk undermining the public’s trust in the judiciary.