Lankan top judge`s impeachment trial report presented to Parl

The committee with seven government lawmakers and four opposition party members was appointed to look into the charges against chief justice Shirani Bandaranayake.

Colombo: A Sri Lankan committee looking into charges against the country`s first woman chief justice on Saturday presented its report to the Parliament despite opposition lawmakers withdrawing from the panel saying the process was flawed and unfair.

The committee with seven government lawmakers and four opposition party members was appointed to look into the charges against chief justice Shirani Bandaranayake.

Minister Anura Yapa who chaired the parliamentary select committee (PSC) presented the report which is widely believed to find the lady chief justice guilty.
The leader of the House and senior minister Nimal Siripala de Silva said the reports would be printed.

Opposition legislator John Amaratunga when asked for a debate on the issue was told by the Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa that a debate could be HELD within a month.

The PSC report was submitted despite opposition members walking out of the PSC yesterday calling it a hurried process. Bandaranayake herself and her lawyers walked out of the proceedings on Thursday.

They called the process unfair and accused the government members of turning personally abusive towards her.

The lady chief justice faced impeachment for her removal from office based on 14 charges of private and professional misconduct as the top judge.

She denied all of the charges and stated she was capable of proving her innocence but the PSC whose majority is from the government was bent on not giving her a fair trial, opposition had said.

PTI

Zee News App: Read latest news of India and world, bollywood news, business updates, cricket scores, etc. Download the Zee news app now to keep up with daily breaking news and live news event coverage.