Retired Supreme Court Judge Upali Abeyratne has resigned from his position as Chairman of the Right to Information (RTI) Commission of Sri Lanka, effective immediately. His resignation was communicated in a letter sent to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Wednesday, March 4, 2025.
The letter did not specify the reasons for his resignation.
According to Section 12(1) of the Right to Information Act (RTI Act), the RTI Commission comprises four Commissioners and a Chairman, all appointed by the President based on recommendations from the Constitutional Council. The Council nominates one Commissioner representing the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), while two others are selected as representatives of ‘Organizations of Publishers, Editors, and Media Persons’ and ‘Civil Society Organizations,’ respectively. The remaining two appointments are made by the President upon the general recommendation of the Council.
The RTI Commission requires a quorum of three members to conduct meetings, with the Chairman appointed by the President. Commissioners serve a fixed five-year term, though they may resign or be removed by the President upon the Council’s recommendation for specified reasons.
