– The Bar Association of Jaffna has called on President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to urgently investigate the transfer of Jaffna High Court Judge A. G. Alexraja, raising concerns over possible interference with judicial independence.

The Jaffna Bar Association stated that Judge Alexraja was appointed to the Jaffna High Court on April 22, 2026, and was subsequently transferred to the Civil Appellate High Court in Badulla within little more than a month of assuming office. The transfer is scheduled to take effect from May 31, 2026.In a letter addressed to the President, the Association said the request was made following a resolution adopted at its Extraordinary General Meeting held on May 29, 2026.According to the Jaffna Bar Association, the sudden nature of the transfer has sparked speculation regarding the existence of reasons unrelated to the normal administrative process.

The Jaffna Bar Association further stated that it had received information from members suggesting that the transfer may have been linked to certain interim orders issued by Judge Alexraja in writ petitions where the Governor of the Northern Province had been named as a respondent.“We also have reliably heard from our membership that the transfer may have been occasioned by certain interim orders that the Honourable Judge had made against the Governor of the Northern Province,” the letter stated.The Association further claimed that it had received information indicating that the Governor had communicated with certain authorities, including members of the Government, seeking their intervention in relation to the matter.While acknowledging the Judicial Service Commission’s authority to transfer judicial officers, the Association emphasized that sudden and unexplained transfers, particularly where allegations of executive interference arise, could undermine public confidence in the judiciary.

The letter stressed that even the perception of interference in judicial affairs was a matter of serious concern and urged the President, as Head of State, to ensure that there is “zero tolerance” for any attempt to influence the functioning of the courts.The Association has requested an opportunity to meet President Dissanayake in person to discuss the matter further and expressed hope for an early response.