Ranil, UNP, Govt: NO CHALLENGING PSC

Sandasen Marasinghe, Irangika Range and Disna Mudalige

The government and the opposition yesterday joined forces in maintaining that the appointment of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to inquire into the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice cannot be challenged outside Parliament under the provisions of the Constitution, the Standing Orders or any other existing law of the country.

They expressed their views in Parliament yesterday in this regard.

Leader of the House and Irrigation and Water Resources Management Minister Nimal Siripala de Silva raised a privilege matter stating that issuing notices by the Court on the members of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed by the Speaker to investigate the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice, under the provisions of the Standing Orders violated the privileges of Parliament.

He added that no outside body has powers to issue orders or give directions to the PSC that was appointed by the Speaker of Parliament. Opposition Leader Ranil Wickremesinghe said that the Judicial power of Parliament is vested in the Courts except the powers of Parliament and the privileges of Parliament. The Parliament has to decide its powers. He added that cases can be filed before Court but notices cannot be sent to Parliament. External Affairs Minister Professor G L Peiris stated that issuing notice and asking the Speaker to submit written submissions and also issuing notice on the PSC by the Court is a violation of privileges of the legislature and it cannot be justified in any manner. After hearing the submissions by members of both Government and Opposition, Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa said his order on this issue will be declared at a future date.