Impeachment motion passed by overwhelming majority:

Govt will ensure independence of Judiciary - Former Chief Justice

Former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva told our sister paper Silumina yesterday that since the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake had been passed with a two-thirds majority in Parliament, it is for the Government to ensure its commitment to safeguard the independence of the Judiciary.

He said by appointing one with seniority and the requisite qualifications from the Judiciary as the next Chief Justice, the conspirators will be denied the opportunity to achieve their hidden agendas.

”No room should be left for any unhealthy consequences of the impeachment to raise its ugly head. Whatever is done should be in the interest of the people and the country at large,” he said.

He said the conflict between the Government and the lawyer community should not be permitted to continue any further. The stand taken by the Government and the charges levelled against the Chief Justice have been substantiated.

The Government need not treat this as a victory, but only an instance where the legislature had to deal with the vicious conduct of a judge in the higher Judiciary.

An independent Judiciary and a viable rule of law is an asset to the country and its people, the former Chief Justice said.