Manikku Wadumestri Hendrick de Silva

Manikku Wadumestri Hendrick de Silva, QC was a Ceylonese lawyer, judge and statesman. He served in several top legal positions in the island, as the 26th Attorney General of Ceylon, a Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Ceylon and finally the Minister of Justice in the cabinet of S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike as a member of the Senate of Ceylon.[1]

Senator M. W. H. de Silva QC
Minister of Justice
In office 1956–1959
Preceded by	E. B. Wikramanayake
Succeeded by	Valentine S. Jayawickrema
Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Ceylon
In office 1946–1947
Ceylonese representative in India
In office 1947–1948
Preceded by	Tikiri Bandara Panabokke II
Succeeded by	Abolished
26th Attorney General of Ceylon
In office 7 July 1942 – 1946
Preceded by	John William Ronald Illangakoon
Succeeded by	Chellappah Nagalingam
Personal details
Alma mater	University of London
Profession	Advocate

Having graduated from the University of London, de Silva became an Advocate. Joining the Attorney General's Department, de Silva served as a Crown Counsel and a Senior Crown Counsel, before being appointed Deputy Solicitor General. As Deputy Solicitor General, de Silva lead the prosecution of the famous Duff House murder case in 1934.[2] He served as Solicitor General of Ceylon from 1941 to 1942, in which year he was also appointed King's Counsel. He was appointed Attorney General of Ceylon from 1942 on 7 July 1942, succeeding John William Ronald Illangakoon, and held the office until 1946. He was succeeded by Chellappah Nagalingam.[3] He was thereafter called to the bench as an acting Puisne Judge but retired in 1947 to take up appointment as Representative of the Government of Ceylon in India, serving until Ceylon gained self rule in 1948. He was appointed to the Senate of Ceylon and made Minister of Justice by Prime Minister S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike in 1956. He introduced conciliation boards through the Conciliation Broads Act and attempted to regulate fees charged by proctors and advocates, but was met by stiff resistance from the legal practitioners which included threats of trade union action.[4] He served until June 1959 when he resigned from the Cabinet after two days after a Cabinet reshuffle in which he retained he seat.[5]

He was the great uncle of Harsha de Silva.[6]

References

1. A single party Cabinet is formed
2. "Murder by chloroform at DuffHouse". Sunday Times. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
3. Amerasinghe, A. Ranjit B (1986), The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka : the first 185 years, Sarvodaya Book Pub. Services, ISBN 978-955-599-000-4
4. "When lawyers threatened to 'down tools' 60 years ago: Justice delayed for the legal fraternity". Daily News. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
5. Chiba, M (28 October 2013). Asian Indigenous Law. Routledge. ISBN 9781136142024. Retrieved 10 July 2020.
6. Harsha De Silva (2015). Dr. Harsha De Silva talks about his past. Colombo: YouTube.