BASL requests for representation at impeachment hearing

Representatives of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) today met Speaker of Parliament Chamal Rajapaksa to handover the resolution adopted at the association’s general meeting, regarding the impeachment motion against Chief Justice.

The Bar Association, at the discussion held this evening, requested the Speaker to reconsider the impeachment motion, which contains 14 charges of misconduct and financial impropriety against Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake. 

However, the speaker had stated that it was too late to withdraw the motion as it has already been included in the Order Paper of Parliament.

Seeking to guarantee its rights for representation at the impeachment hearing, the association then requested that the BASL be afforded membership in the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), probing the charges against the Chief Justice. 

In response to this the Speaker had stated that he would look into the possibility of this and inform the association within a period of two days. 

The BASL’s eight-point resolution was passed on November 10 at a special general meeting called for the first time in 24 years, after abduction and killing of lawyer Wijedasa Liyanaarachchi in 1988.