01. Justice Upaly Abeyrathne Rtd. (Chairman)

02.Justice Rohini Walgama Rtd.(Commissioner)

Was enrolled as an attorney-at-law on 11.02.1980 and was in practice till appointment as Magistrate on 03.11.1986.Appointed as Judge of the Court of Appeal on 20.09.2014. Appointed as a President of Court of appeal on 09.05.2017 and officiated till retirement on 17.06.2017

03.Attorney-at-Law Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena (Commissioner)

Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena graduated with Honours from the Faculty of Law, University of Colombo in 1993. Following admission to the Bar in 1995, she appeared in several landmark cases concerning the Freedom of Expression and Contempt of Court before the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka and international Tribunals as a public interest Attorney in the field of Public Law (till 2007).

Thereafter, her academic and research focus areas encompassed constitutional/criminal justice and rights protections; the independence of the judiciary and the legal profession and reform of Sri Lanka’s media laws and policies. Editor, LST Review, Deputy Editor, the Appellate Law Recorder (2004 – 2014) and Editorial Consultant (Legal) for the Sunday Times up to 2016, she has contributed an independent legal column to that newspaper during the past twenty three years. Legal consultant and legal advisor for inter alia the Institute of Commonwealth Studies (ICwS), the University of London, UK; the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), the University of Sussex, UK; the Dignity Institute, Denmark; the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP); the World Bank and the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), she also served as an independent expert to the Working Group on the Commonwealth Media Principles, Commonwealth Secretariat, London, 2021.

Her publications (books/chapters) include Rule of Law in Decline (Dignity Institute, Denmark, 2009); Still Seeking Justice (ICJ, Geneva, 2010); The Judicial Mind in Sri Lanka (co-edited w/ J de A Guneratne and G Gunetilleke, LST, Colombo 2010); Habeas Corpus in Sri Lanka;Theory and Practice of the Great Writ in Extraordinary Times (co-authored w/ J de A Guneratne), LST, Colombo, 2011) ;The Sri Lanka Papers (co-edited w/ Kumari Jayawardena, Zubaan, New Delhi and disseminated by University of Chicago Press Books, 2016); Embattled Media (co-edited w/ D Page and W Crawley, Sage, Delhi with the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, London, 2015); Right to Information: Fruits of Long and Hard Labour, The Commonwealth Journal of International Affairs (Routledge, London, 2018); Reflections on Sri Lanka’s RTI Act & RTI Regime (RTI Commission, Colombo, 2019) and Contempt of Court; The Prashant Bhushan Case, (Institute of Comparative Law, University of Colombo, 2021).

She is a Salzburg Fellow, a WISCOMP (New Delhi) Scholar of Peace, the 2013 Distinguished Visitor of the Australian National University (ANU), Canberra, a member of the Advisory Board, Media Law Programme, University of Arizona, US, 2015-todate and contributing scholar, Australia-Myanmar Group of Constitutional Scholars, University of New South Wales, Sydney, 2013-todate.

Conferred the D. R. Wijewardene Award for Earning the Appreciation of Peers and the Public by the Editors Guild of Sri Lanka as a result of her writings in 2014, she was again conferred that award in 2016 on behalf of all campaigners in recognition of collective efforts in drafting the Right to Information (RTI) Act, No 12 of 2016. She has also formulated draft legislation on contempt of court for the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (2006). Nominated by the Editors Guild of Sri Lanka to serve on the Right to Information Commission (RTIC) in its first term (September 2016-September 2021), she was nominated by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka to serve for the second term on the RTIC in October 2021.

04.Attorney-at-Law Jagath Liyana Arachchi (Commissioner)

Jagath Liyana Arachchi is a legal professional who graduated from the Law Faculty of the University of Colombo in 1996 and enrolled as an Attorney-at-Law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. Having obtained the Masters in Mass Communication from the University of Kelaniya, he has held a diverse range of well-recognized positions in both state and non-state institutions during the last 25 years. Having experience in law, right to information, human rights, anti-corruption, election monitoring, electoral reforms and public policy, he held the Deputy Director, Monitoring and Review, of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka and the Director, Information GRID, National Media Centre. He is a professional Trainer and has designed training manuals and rendered training for state and non-state institutions on a range of subjects. He is currently serving as a Visiting Lecturer in the Department of Mass Communication of Kelaniya University. Having worked in different capacities in the non-state sector, he has extended his expertise in Governance, Election Monitoring, Anti-Corruption, Media and Law, contributing to multifaceted civil society initiatives aiming to uphold the rights and freedoms of people. He is a writer and has authored a number of publications on a range of thematic areas, including but not limited to, Right to Information, Constitutional Reforms, Governance, Anti-corruption and Elections.

05.Mohamed Nahiya (Commissioner)

Academic Qualifications:

B.A. (Cey.), University of Colombo, 1972. (Subjects: Economics, Geography & Tamil) Post Graduate Diploma in Education, University of Jaffna, 1982/83. M.Phil. in Education, University of Jaffna, 2014 Certificate in General Management, SLIDA,

Posts held:

Advisor / Consultant, Ministry of Water Supply and Drainage. 01.11.2007- 30.04.2010 02.

Director General, Fisheries Housing and Welfare, Ministry of Nation Building and Estate Infrastructure Development. 30.01.2007-31.10.2007.

Director General, Fisheries Housing & Welfare, Ministry of Infrastructure Development and Fisheries Housing. 01.11.2006 -29.01.2007 

Director General, Rehabilitation, Ministry of Infrastructure Development in the Eastern Province. 10.11.2004 -31.10.2006

Director, Rehabilitation, Ministry of Shipping, Ports, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction / Ministry of Eastern Development & Muslim Religious Affairs / Ministry of Infrastructure Development in the Eastern Province . 01.10.1995 – 09.11.2004 

Assistant Commissioner of Essential Services, Ministry of shipping, Ports, Rehabilitation & Reconstruction 14.11.1994 – 30.09.1995 

Assistant Director of Tamil Affairs, Ministry of Regional Development/Department of Hindu Religious and Cultural Affairs – 01.03.1988 – 13.11.1994 

Vice Principal, Zahira College, Colombo. 15.11.1984 – 24.06.1987 

Head of Senior Secondary Department, Zahira College, Colombo. 10.08.1983 – 14.11.1984 

Graduate Teacher, Zahira College, Colombo. 15.05.1972 – 09.08.1983.

National Commissions & Committees Served: 

Member, Right to Information Commission appointed by the HE the President on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council of Parliament, since 12-09-2022.

 Member, Cabinet appointed Delimitation Committee for Divisional Secretariat Divisions and GN Divisions.,05-10-2021 - 04-10-2022.

 Member , National Delimitation Commission. Appointed by HE the President on the recommendation of the Constitutional Council of Parliament. 11-03-2019 - 11-12-2020.

 Member, Cabinet Appointed National Delimitation Committee for Local Authorities, 21.11.2012 – 30.05.2015

 Member, Public Service Commission, 12.05.2011 – 14.10.2015

 Member of the Committee appointed by the decision of the Cabinet of Ministers on 24.09.2010 to examine the issue relating to establishment of Irakkamam Divisional Secretariat Division.

 Member, Cabinet Appointed National Delimitation Committee for the establishment and reconstitution of existing Divisional Secretariat Divisions and Grama Niladari Divisions 09.02.2010 - 2012

 Member of the Negotiating Team appointed by Cabinet of Ministers at its meeting held on 22.11.2006 to negotiate with World Water Corporation (WWC) of New Jersey, Funding Agencies of other institutions with a view to establish solar power in fishing villages.

 Served in a Committee appointed by the Economic Policy Committee of the Cabinet of Ministers to re-examine the Cabinet memo submitted by the Ministry of Eastern Development and Muslim Religious Affairs on “payment of compensation to the properties damaged due to ethnic violence at Valaichchenai on 27.06.2002” on 30.05.2003

 Served as a Coordinator of the National Re-conciliation Program of the Office of Commissioner General of Triple-R 2003-2004.

 Member of the Tamil Drama Panel of Arts Council of Sri Lanka from 01.10.1997-01-01-2002

International Conferences and Seminars Attended:

Participated at the EU-Sri Lanka Preparatory meeting( In virtual Format) held on 11-10-2022, and, 6th meeting of EU-Sri Lanka working group held on 28-10-2022, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on’ “role RTI, how RTI requests are responded, appointment of commissioners and budget allocation”.

 Participated in the International Seminar on Migration and Integration for Development from Policy to Practice held at the Aharon Ofri International Training Center, Jerusalem, Israel from July 01 to 17th, 2003. This was organized jointly by the Center for International Migration and Integration (CIMI) and MASHAV.

 Participated at the 7th International Seminar on Islamic Tamil Literature at BMICH, Colombo held on 22, 23,24 October 2002

 Participated as a member of the Sri Lankan Delegation to the first meeting of SAARC Technical Committee on Human Resource Development held at Ceylon Continental Hotel, Colombo, Sri Lanka from 18 – 19 October 2001.

 Participated in an International Forum on Small and Medium sized Enterprises Accelerating Growth and Enhancing Competitiveness in the knowledge economy organized by Asian Productivity Organization (A.P.O.) in New Delhi, India from 10.04.2001 to 12.04.2001.

 Participated in the World Tamil Research Conference held in Trichy, Tamil Nadu (India) from 31.12.1995 – 05.01.1996.

 Participated in the World Islamic Tamil Research Conference held in Keelakarai, Tamil Nadu (India) from 30 – 31 December, 1990.

Research & Publications:

Research

01. A study on the contribution of Swami Vipulananda in the Upliftment of Education of Muslims in Sri Lanka - 2014

02. Educational thoughts and contributions of M.C. Siddilebbe – 1982

Books Authored

01. Muslim Education in Sri Lanka – Thoughts and Contribution of Shafie Marikar – 2018,(1st Edition),2019 (2nd Edition).

02. Yaanarintha Paeraasaan – Karthigesu Sivathamby – 2012

03. Muslim Nesar Swami Vipulananda – 1994 04. Azeezum Tamilum – 1991 (1st Edition), 2017 (2nd Edition)

Books & Souvenirs Edited

01. A.M.A. Azeez – Speeches and Tributes – 2018 (Co-Editor)

02. Souvenir 50th Anniversary of Independence of Sri Lanka – 1999

03. Souvenir Tamil Drama Festival – 1999

04. Souvenir Tamil Drama Festival – 1998

05. Souvenir published to mark the inauguration of the Educational Prosperity Scholarship Program for the displaced students, Ministry of Shipping, Ports, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction – 12.12.1996

06. Souvenir published to mark the opening ceremony of 29 School Buildings for the displaced students at Puttalam – 05.10.1996

07. Souvenir Tamil Drama Festival – 1994

08. Souvenir Tamil Arts Festival – 1994

09. Souvenir National Tamil Sahithya Festival – 1993

10. Souvenir National Tamil Sahithya Festival – 1992

11. Souvenir National Tamil Sahithya Festival – 1991

12. Sri Lankan Culture - 1991

13. Souvenir published to mark the occasion of 85th Anniversary of Zahira College, Colombo - 1977/1978 * Member Souvenir Committee of Tamil day Celebrations of the Ministry of Education & Higher Education – 1990 * Articles published : More than 100 * Discussions and Talks over the TV & Radio : More than 50

Awards & Honours:

01. Won the Prize of Colombo Tamil Sangam for my Book ‘Azeezum Tamilum’ as The Best Work in Research for the year 1991.

02. Honour conferred by the Negombo Hindu Youngmen’s Association, with the title ‘Tamil Maamani’, considering my contribution to the Tamil Language and Tamil Literature, along with Prof. Sunil Ariyaratne and Prof. Bertram Bastiampillai on 03rd July, 1994.

03. Honour bestowed by Uva Provincial Council twice at its annual Sahitya Festivals.

04. Honour bestowed at the 7th International Seminar on Islamic Tamil Literature at BMICH, Colombo held on 22, 23, 24th October 2002, for my contribution to Islamic Tamil Literature.

05. Conferred the Honour of “Samooha Jyothi” and awarded of Karunkodiyoor highest award at a ceremony held at Akkaraipattu on 1st October 2005.

06. Honour conferred by the Alumni Organization of the University of Colombo at its 22th Annual General Meeting and get together at New Arts Theatre on 15th December 2018.

07. My book titled ‘Muslim Education in Sri Lanka - Thoughts and Contribution of Shafie Marikar’ won the ‘National Sahithya Award – 2019’ under ‘Self Research and Research Work for the year 2018’ in a Ceremony held at BMICH on 12.09.2019.

08. Bestowed Mahavidvan C . Ganesaiyar award for academic contribution, by the Colombo Kamban Kalagam at R.K.M hall Col-6. on 04-02-2020.