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Dissenting PSC members await court notice
View(s):By Chandani Kirinde
The opposition members of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) that probed charges against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayke have so far not received notice from the Court of Appeal to be present in Court on Thursday.
UNP Kandy District Parliamentarian Lakshman Kiriella said he had not received notice from the CA in connection with the case filed by the Chief Justice challenging the report of the PSC.
“We (the opposition members) have not received notice yet. If we are issued notice to appear before court, we will take a joint decision concerning it,” Mr. Kiriella said.
However, the PSC’s Government members have said they will ignore the court notice in line with the ruling issued by Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa on December 7.
Deputy Speaker Chandima Werrakkody told the Sunday Times the order given by the Speaker made it clear that impeachment of the Chief Justice was a matter that fell within the exclusive domain of Parliament and hence any notice served on members of the PSC was null and entailed no legal consequences.
The Speaker in his ruling in response to notice issued by the Supreme Court on him and the 11 members of the PSC said his ruling would apply to any similar purported “Notice, Order or Determination in respect of the proceedings of the Committee.”
Among those who have received notice from the Court of Appeal is the Secretary General of Parliament.
Deputy Speaker Weerakkody said that as the SG is acting on behalf of Parliament he too was covered by the Parliament Privileges Act.
The Court of Appeal on December 21 issued notice to the PSC members, the Speaker and Secretary General of Parliament to appear in court on Thursday.
It came after the Chief Justice filed a writ application in the Court of Appeal, challenging the findings of the PSC appointed by the Speaker to investigate allegations of misconduct against her. The Chief Justice, in her petition sought a writ of certiorari to nullify the findings of the PSC.
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