Victor Tennekoon

Victor Tennekoon QC (9 September 1914 – April 1990) was a Sri Lankan lawyer and jurist. He served as the 35th Chief Justice of Sri Lanka, as well as the 33rd Attorney General and 23rd Solicitor General. From 1979 to 1984 Tennekoon served as Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya.

Early life and education Born on 9 September 1914 in the Central Province of British Ceylon, he had four brothers; Herbert Tennekoon, former Governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka; Reginald Tennekoon, member of parliament for Minipe; George Tennekoon, Professor of Pathology, University of Peradeniya and Kenneth Tennekoon, an engineer who emigrated to the UK in 1956 and one sister Dulcie Wijenaike.

In July 1970, he was appointed Attorney General. During his term, he created the controversial Criminal Justice Commission to prosecute a large number of suspects of the 1971 JVP insurrection, which was later extended to prosecute exchange control violators. Reaching the public service retirement age of 60, he was appointed a Judge of the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka in August 1973 and served till 31 December 1973. On 1 January 1974 he was appointed Chief Justice, succeeding Gardiye Punchihewage Amaraseela Silva and served till his retirement on 8 September 1977.

Later work Following his retirement, Tennekoon served in many capacities. He served as the Chairman of the Presidential Commission on Development Councils from 1977 to 1980; Law Commission, the Salaries Review Committee, LB 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.

Family Tennekoon was married to Semitha Wijewardena, niece of Don Richard Wijewardena. They had son Asita and two daughters Dayanthi and Priyani.