Mahinda Samayawardhena

Mahinda Samayawardhena is a Sri Lankan lawyer who serves as a puisne justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka. He was appointed by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa and has served since 1 December 2020.^[1][2][3][4]

The Honourable Mahinda Samayawardhena
Puisne Justice of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka
Incumbent
Assumed office 1 December 2020 (2020-12-01)
Appointed by	Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Judge of the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka
In office 23 April 2018 (2018-04-23) – 1 December 2020 (2020-12-01)
Appointed by	Maithripala Sirisena
Personal details
Born	Mahinda Samayawardhena

Career

Samayawardhena joined the judiciary in 1988 and served as a judge in Sri Lanka's Primary Court, Magistrate's Court, District Court and High Court. As a judge of the High Court, he served across all three branches: criminal, commercial and civil appellate.^[5]

He was appointed as a judge of the Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka by President Maithripala Sirisena on 23 April 2018 and served till 1 December 2020.^[6]

On 1 December 2020, he was appointed to the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa as a puisne justice.^[1][2][3][4]

Commission assignments

In July 2025, Samayawardhena was appointed to the Judicial Service Commission (JSC) by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake.^[5]

He is also the current director of the Sri Lanka Judges' Institute.^[5]