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Impeachment motion against Chief Justice:
Bankrupt parties playing politics
Ridma DISSANAYAKE
* Fourteen complaints filed against
CJ
* Judiciary should go forward along
with govt
Several political parties are using the impeachment motion against
Chief Justice Dr Shirani Bandaranayake to make their political dreams
come true. The impeachment has now been politicised, Fisheries and
Aquatic Resources Development Minister Dr Rajitha Senaratne said.
“The Speaker appointed a Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to
probe this. It has already completed investigations and they have
already handed over the final report to the Speaker,” the minister said.
“The PSC discussed this issue and 14 complaints have been filed
against the Chief Justice. We have conducted investigations according to
Parliament traditions and the 77A Parliament Standing Order,” he said.
Minister Senaratne was addressing a press briefing at the Sri Lanka
Foundation Institute (SLFI) organised by Yukthiya Udesa Janatha
Wyaparaya Organisation yesterday.
“Some are finding fault in the procedure brought to impeach the Chief
Justice. They have forgotten that this method is around 25 years old.
This procedure was introduced by the UNP.
This is the third impeachment brought against a Chief Justice in Sri
Lanka,” Senaratne said.
The minister said all supported the second impeachment motion brought
against former Chief Justice Sarath Silva.
“Some are trying to create a conflict in the society over this issue
while talking about failures in this procedure. I like to ask them why
they did not talk about those failures in the previous occasions,” the
minister said.
Most associations and organisations are also politicised due to Heads
of these organisations and associations being involved in politics. This
is unfair. Their ideas should be independent. When politicians lead
organisations and associations, they point out their political views and
beliefs as their organisations’ ideas. These organisations are not
recognised in society because of these efforts, Senaratne said.
“We conducted the investigations according to Parliament procedure
and not according to the Judiciary procedure. These two are not one.
They are two. The team trying to support Dr Shirani Bandaranayake is the
same team which was against her previously,” he said.
“This is a well planned political game. Several bankrupt political
parties are trying to obtain support from this case and to come into the
political limelight once again. There is no need to talk about the
investigations on impeachment. It is up to the Speaker and the
Parliament. The Judiciary should go forward along with the government.
The Judiciary must not try to fight with the government or stand against
the government,” the minister said. |
