Courtesy The Daily News Sandasen Marasinghe, Irangika Range and Disna Mudalige

The impeachment motion is moved against the head of the Judiciary and it is hoped that judges, attorneys or other related parties would assist in continuing proceedings of this legal and constitutional action independently, as well as in a dignified manner without causing any hindrance, government parliamentarians including Ministers S B Dissanayake, W D J Seneviratne and Mahindananda Aluthgamage comprising the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) before which Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake appeared, said yesterday at a media briefing.

Public Administration and Home Affairs Minister W.D.J. Seneviratne said the impeachment motion has been moved under provision 107(2) of the Constitution.

However, various organizations and persons have discussed the matter violating the provisions of the Constitution.

These parliamentarians also said they appreciated Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake appearing before the PSC earlier in the day, honouring the provisions of the Constitution and the Supremacy of Parliament.

They added that Chief Justice Dr Shirani Bandaranayake cooperated in commencing the proceedings of the PSC, traditionally done under oath. The parliamentarians also requested others to assist in the proceedings of the PSC ƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ”¹…”without causing any troubleƒÆ’‚¢ƒ¢-¡‚¬ƒ¢-¾‚¢, as it was a process fully legal as well as constitutional.

Higher Education Minister SB Dissanayake said such measures have been provided in the Constitution to maintain the checks and balance between the arms of State, Executive, Legislature and Judiciary.

He said this was not the first time impeachment motions were moved against Chief Justices of the country. On one occasion, when an impeachment motion was moved against then Chief Justice

Neville Samarakoon he resigned from his office. He also said on two occasions, impeachment motions were moved against former CJ Sarath Nanda Silva. However Parliament did not proceed with these Motions.

The Minister further stated that the impeachment motion moved was based on what the public told Parliamentarians, what the staff of the courts told Parliamentarians and what certain judges told Parliamentarians, and was submitted to the Speaker with the signatures of 117 Parliamentarians under the provisions of the Constitution. He added that the Speaker appointed a PSC in that regard.

The Minister said however according to these provisions, members of the PSC or others cannot make comments on the matter before the PSC. He added the Speaker can expunge such comments, if there were any, from the Hanzard, and order MPs to refrain from making such comments. Minister Jagath Pushpakumara, Minister Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Deputy Minister Lasnatha Alagiyawanna, Deputy Minister Vijith Vijayamuni Soyza, and Parliamentarian Arundika Fernando also participated in the press conference.