The misunderstood role of the Attorney General in Sri Lanka By Sunil de Silva P.C Source:-sundaytimes I have been concerned by comments I read in the newspapers that there appears to be a misconception in the minds of the public of the role of the Attorney General in Sri Lanka. This is not surprising as the Attorney General is a public servant who holds the power to make quasi-judicial decisions. While the public are aware that the Executive cannot direct a judicial officer as regards the exercise of a judge’s judicial functions, some views expressed in news articles suggests that the Executive can, and indeed should, direct the Attorney General in his decision making process. This misconception probably arises out of the belief that a lawyer retained by a client has to present views that the client wishes to place before a Court. Even in a normal lawyer-client relationship, ...