Today, On 11st December, The Chief Justice of Sri Lanka joined CJI Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on the Supreme Court bench, saying it was a great honour to be here and that India is our closest neighbour, marking a moment.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India today witnessed a special moment when the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka joined Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justice Joymalya Bagchi on the Bench.
The visit became a symbol of the historic friendship shared between the two neighbouring countries, and senior law officers, judges, and Bar leaders expressed their greetings with warmth and respect.
At the beginning of the interaction, Attorney General R. Venkataramani addressed the Sri Lankan delegation with the words,
“I extend a warm welcome to you and all the honourable judges. India and Sri Lanka share deep spiritual and cultural bonds.”
Soon after this, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also highlighted the shared heritage of the two nations and said,
“Our roots, civilisation and culture are the same. And two days is far too short to truly experience India.”
CJI Surya Kant explained how the visiting delegation had already spent meaningful time understanding India’s legal learning environment.
He said,
“They spent three days at the National Judicial Academy with Justice Aniruddha Bose, who heads it. Today they are here in the Supreme Court, and tomorrow they will visit the Delhi High Court.”
The Bar also offered its greetings. SCBA President Vikas Singh said,
“You have also taken charge of the Bar with full vigour. We fondly remember Justice C.G. Weeramantry of Sri Lanka today who taught the world sustainable development.”
SCAORA President Vipin Nair added his sentiments by stating,
“This nation has always welcomed its guests. It’s a remarkable moment to have the Chief Justices of two strong democracies together here.”
Chief Justice Surya Kant then extended an official welcome on behalf of the entire Indian legal community.
He said,
“On behalf of the Supreme Court, the Indian judiciary, and the Bar, I extend a warm welcome to the Chief Justice of Sri Lanka and the accompanying judges. I trust your visit to India has been productive and enriching. You will also see our efforts to integrate advanced technology into the global judicial system.”
Responding to the warm gestures, Justice Surasena of Sri Lanka spoke emotionally about the deep historical connection shared between the two nations.
He began by saying,
“It’s a great honour for me and my brother judges to be here. India is our closest neighbour, and the ties between our peoples and historically even between our rulers and kings have always endured.”
He also recalled ancient links between the countries and said Emperor Ashoka had once travelled from Bengal to Sri Lanka. He noted that Sri Lanka finds mention in the Ramayana and said these connections dated back to times “long before modern cities existed.”
Justice Surasena further shared that the Sri Lankan delegation had been moved by the reception they received during their visit.
He explained that they had also attended the Constitution Day function organised by the Supreme Court Bar Association last week and were touched by the hospitality.
He concluded with the words,
“We are truly delighted and proud to be here. Thank you very much.”
The interaction highlighted the shared judicial values, historical relationships, and cultural closeness between India and Sri Lanka, making the visit a memorable moment for both the Supreme Court of India and the Sri Lankan judiciary.