March 2013 News 16: SRI LANKAN PRESIDENT SACKS CHIEF JUSTICE BANDARANAYAKE

SRI LANKAN PRESIDENT SACKS CHIEF JUSTICE BANDARANAYAKE

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on January 13, 2013 sacked the chief justice by ratifying a controversial parliamentary vote, defying international calls for restraint and plunging the country into constitutional crisis.

Shirani Bandaranayake, the first woman to hold the office of the top judge, had issued decisions at odds with government. Rajapaksa dismissed her after a closed-door meeting with other judges.

Parliament too approved an impeachment report that previous week had been quashed by the country's courts, which ruled the process was unconstitutional.
"The President has signed the letter removing Bandaranayake  from  the  office  of Chief Justice," Rajapaksa's spokesman said.

The Commonwealth had asked Rajapaksa earlier to reflect on the 'constitutional and other ramifications' at a time when Sri Lanka is preparing to host group's Summit this year.

Bandaranayaka's spokesman confirmed she received the letter, but declined to comment. Rajapaksa had offered to allow her to retire and avoid impeachment during a meeting.

The ruling party initially framed 14 charges of financial, professional and personal misconduct against her, but later cleared her of financial wrong doing and convicted her only on three counts of misconduct.

THE NEW CHIEF JUSTICE APPOINTED

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on January 15, 2013 appointed his cabinet's legal adviser as the country's new Chief Justice to succeed Shirani Bandaranayake, whose impeachment created much furore in the country.

Rajapaksa swore in new Chief Justice Mohan Peiris to replace Sri Lanka's first woman Chief justice who was impeached by the Parliament. Peiris, a British qualified solicitor who retired in 2011 as the Attorney-General was serving as the legal advisor to the Cabinet.

Peiris has lobbied for Sri Lanka during the sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council in recent years. He is also supervising the implementation of recommendations by Sri Lanka's post war reconciliation commission.