State Counsels exercise the office of the Attorney General in the relevant district and or specific jurisdiction. State Counsels are not elected, and are instead public servants gazetted as Law Officers of the Attorney General's Department. Appointment of State Counsel are at the discretion of the Attorney General, from qualified Attorneys at law of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka recognized and recommended for service by a panel of senior state officials.
State counsels, representing the Honorable Attorney General in each high court of Sri Lanka, play a crucial role in the country's criminal justice system. They wield the powers of the Attorney General within their respective jurisdictions. Without a state counsel, a high court's operations would be severely hindered, given that the majority of cases in high courts are brought forth by the Attorney General. Individuals with substantial legal expertise are carefully chosen for the position of state counsel through a highly competitive interview process, widely regarded as one of the toughest in the country.
A Senior State Counsel is the higher grade, appointed following several years of experience in the role of State Counsel.[2][3][1]