C'wealth Secretariat to respond on CJ probe
By Neville de Silva in London
The London-based Commonwealth Secretariat is expected to respond shortly to a request by the Sri Lanka Government which intends changing the Standing Orders of Parliament to allow foreign judges to hear grievances against the Chief Justice or any judge of the higher courts.

Commonwealth sources said that a request to assist in this regard had been sent to the Secretariat. The government wants to change the existing practice whereby parliament is empowered to inquire into allegations.

The government believes that this would make such inquiries more credible as foreign judges would be seen to be more impartial and would not be politically motivated.
The request went out to the Commonwealth Secretariat for assistance because it is believed that judges from Commonwealth countries coming from a common legal background would be more acquainted with legal traditions and practices in Commonwealth member-states.

The government is hoping that the Commonwealth Secretariat would help set up a panel of judges drawn from the 54 Commonwealth countries. Economic Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda met Commonwealth Secretary-General Don McKinnon earlier this month to brief him on the situation in Sri Lanka following the prorogation of parliament and the sacking of three ministers by President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

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