Victor Tennekoon

Deshamanya Victor Tennekoon QC
35th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka
In office 1 January 1974 – 1974
Appointed by	William Gopallawa
Preceded by	Gardiye Punchihewage Amaraseela Silva
Succeeded by	Neville Samarakoon
Judge for the Sri Lankan Court of Appeals
In office 2 August 1973 – 31 December 1973
33rd Attorney General of Sri Lanka
In office 1 July 1970 – 1975
Preceded by	Abdul Caffoor Mohamad Ameer
Succeeded by	Shiva Pasupati
23rd Solicitor General of Ceylon
In office 1962–1964
Preceded by	Anthony Alles
Succeeded by	Walter Jayawardena
Personal details
Born	9 September 1914 Central Province, British Ceylon
Died	before 2007
Spouse(s)	Semitha Tennekoon
Children	Asita, Dayanthi and Priyani
Alma mater	University of London Ceylon Law College

Deshamanya Victor Tennekoon QC (9 September 1914 – before 2007) was a leading Sri Lankan academic, judge and jurist. He served as the 35th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka as well as the 33rd Attorney General and 23rd Solicitor General.^[1][2] He was appointed Chief Justice in 1974 and was succeeded by Neville Samarakoon.^[3] From 1979 to 1984 Tennekoon served as Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya.

Early life, education and family

Tennekoon was born to a distinguished family on 9 September 1914 in Central Province, British Ceylon. He had two brothers Herbert, who became the Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka and George, a Professor of Medicine. He attended St. Anthony's College in Kandy. Tennekoon obtained a Bachelor of Arts from the University of London and subsequently entered the Ceylon Law College. He was called to the Bar on 4 May 1943.^[1] Tennekoon was married to Semitha. They had son Asita & two daughters Dayanthi and Priyani.

Legal career

Tennekoon was the first Kandyan on the Bench. Practising for some time at the Kegalle Bar, on 1 October 1946 he joined the Attorney-General's Department as a Temporary additional Crown Counsel. He specialized in Civil work, however did prosecute in some important cases including the case of the 1962 coup d'état attempt.^[4]

In 1962 he was appointed Solicitor General of Sri Lanka and in 1965 he was conferred with the title of Queen's Counsel.^[5] In 1972 he was appointed Attorney General, after which he served as a Judge of the Court of Appeal, rising to be Chief Justice in 1974.

Other work

After his legal career Tennekoon work in many other academic and legal capacities. From 14 March 1949 to 5 March 1951 he served as Secretary to the Kandyan Peasantry Commission. He worked as an advisor to the Government on aspects of international law relating to the nationality problems of Indian Tamils of Sri Lanka in collaboration with Sir Humphrey Waldock. He was also Chairman of the Presidential Commission on Development Councils from 1970 to 1980.Tennekoon also served as Chairman of a number of organisations such as the Law Commission, the Salaries Review Committee, L. B. Finance Company, the Central Hospitals Ltd, and Deputy Chairman of the Commercial Bank of Ceylon. In 1984 he chaired the Ministry of Justice Law's Delays seminar and the Committee on the Courts of Appeal.^[1]

Tennekoon served as Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya from 1979 to 1984, he was conferred the degree of Doctor of Laws (LL.D) honoris cause by the university.^[4] He was conferred the national honour of the title of Deshamanya in the first ever Independence Day National Honours list in 1986.^[6]

References

1. Maniccavasagar, Chelvatamby. "Maintained independence and dignity of judiciary". Dailynews.lk. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
2. "PERMANENT HOLDERS OF THE OFFICE OF ATTORNEY GENERAL". Attorney General's Department - Sri Lanka. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
3. "Overview". Judicial Service Commission Secretariat. Retrieved 19 October 2013.
4. WIJERATNE, S. S. "Eminent Judges of Sri Lanka". Dailynews.lk. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
5. Perera, KKS. "The ‘Bathroom Coup’ of 1966 - Final part". The Nation. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
6. "National Awards". Presidential Secretariat - Sri Lanka. Retrieved 9 November 2013.

External links

• Travels of Sri Lanka President