BASL THROWS OUT TWO ANTI -IMPEACHMENT PROPOSALS

* One called for UN intervention

* Will accept a new Chief Justice

Chamikara WEERASINGHE

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) rejected two proposals presented to it by the anti-impeachment lobby among the law fraternity, BASL secretary Sanjaya Gamage told the Daily News.

Gamage said BASL president Wijeyadasa Rajapaksa rejected two resolutions forwarded by the anti-impeachment factions at Saturday’s BASL special general meeting, to call on UN organisations, the Commonwealth and the International Lawyers Associations to exert pressure on the government over its move to impeach Chief Justice Dr Shirani Bandaranayaka. These factions proposed to the BASL not to accept a new Chief Justice in the event the present Chief Justice is removed from office after the impeachment process.

They proposed that no attorney should appear before a new Chief Justice who will be appointed under such circumstances.

Gamage said Rajapaksa rejected these proposals at the meeting.

He said BASL's anti-impeachment faction submitted their proposals against the impeachment proceedings only 18 hours before the meeting was held, whereas they were supposed to present them to the BASL seven days prior to the meeting held on December 15. Commenting on the meaning of the resolution adopted by BASL to refrain from hosting a dinner to a new Chief Justice, Gamage said this does not mean that the BASL will not accept the office of the Chief Justice. "They had submitted these proposals just 18 hours before the meeting whereas they were supposed to file them seven days before the meeting held on December 15," he said.