Sri Lanka gets new chief justice

June 08, 2009 (LBO) - The Sri Lankan government has appointed Justice Asoka de Silva as the island's new chief justice.

Justice de Silva took oaths as Sri Lanka’s 32nd chief justice before President Mahinda Rajapaksa Monday morning, the government information department said in a statement.

He is the senior-most Sri Lankan judge and has served in the island's courts for the past 37 years.

De Silva started his career as a government solicitor and has served as the Deputy Solicitor General, and a judge of the High Court and of the Appeal Court.

He also served as a member of the panel of judges attached to United Nations War Crimes Commission.

De Silva's appointment came the day after the retirement of Sarath N Silva as chief justice and at a time when Sri Lanka is under pressure from Western powers to probe alleged war crimes in the war against the Tamil Tigers.