UNP had also moved two impeachment motions earlier:

Impeachment motions - nothing new

This is not the first time that an impeachment motion will be moved in Parliament. Earlier too, there had been three impeachment motions against judges during the UNP regime.

Over 57 UNP Members of Parliament had signed the impeachment motion against former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva and Karu Jayasuriya was the first to sign it. The others who had signed the impeachment motion were Tissa Attanayake, Ravi Karunanayake, Joseph Michael Perera, Dr. Jayalath Jayawardane, Gamini Jayawickrema Perera, Gayantha Karunatilleke and Chandrani Bandara. Wimal Weerawansa, Nihal Galappaththi, Jinadasa Kitulegoda, Bimal Ratnayake and Anjan Umma signed on behalf of the JVP. Impeachment motions had also been moved against Chief Justices Neville Samarakoon and Sarath N. Silva and Supreme Court Judges, Percy Collin Thome and Wimalaratne during the UNP regime.

An impeachment motion is moved against a Chief Justice or a Supreme Court Judge not on personal grounds but to ensure the dignity of the post and the integrity of the judiciary, the legal fraternity said.

They pointed out that there are several stages between moving an impeachment motion and its final transmission to the President.

Therefore, an impeachment motion has to be based on some grounds but not personal - in that there is constitutional provision for the person in question to reply the charges against them.

Initially if the motion to appoint a Select Committee is passed by the House, it will be handed over to the Speaker. When the impeachment motion is eventually passed by the majority in Parliament it will be referred to the President.

This is purely to ensure the dignity of the judiciary and accord due respect to it – that this course of action has to be taken, they said.