Impeachment resolution against Chief Justice:

President to make final decision

by Uditha Kumarasinghe

The impeachment resolution passed by Parliament on Friday to remove Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake was conveyed to President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Friday night, Deputy Speaker Chandima Weerakkoday told the Sunday Observer yesterday.

He said he handed over the resolution passed by Parliament on behalf of Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa to the President on Friday night. It is entirely up to the President to take a final decision. Hence the President has to make an announcement on the removal of Shirani Bandaranayake from the office of Chief Justice.

In keeping with parliamentary procedure, the Speaker had informed the President that an impeachment motion had been brought before the incumbent Chief Justice and the Special Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) which investigated the charges had found the Chief Justice guilty of three of the five charges that had been levelled.

The President was also informed that the PSC report had been duly debated and passed in Parliament with a two-thirds majority and recommended that Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake be removed from the office of Chief Justice.

After a two-day debate, Parliament on Friday passed the impeachment resolution to remove the Chief Justice with an overwhelming two-thirds majority.