BASL resolution to be handed over to Mr,speaker today

Eight resolutions passed unanimously by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) expressing grave concern over the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake and urging the reconsideration of the move is to be handed over to the President and the Speaker today.

The BASL President Wijedasa Rajapakshe said that the eight resolutions were to be handed over to the President Mahinda Rajapaksa and the Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa.

On Saturday in a rare special general meeting held at the BASL auditorium at Hulftsdorp the resolutions were passed following heated arguments on for and against the resolution by nearly 1000 lawyers around the country. “Such a meeting was held for the first time in 24 years, the last being in 1988 over the abduction and killing of lawyer Wijedasa Liyanaarachchi,” Mr. Rajapakshe said.

The eight-point resolution included; To express the grave concern of the Bar about the impeachment and the independence of the Judiciary, to urge the President and the Speaker of the Parliament to reconsider the said ‘impeachment’ and to urge the Speaker to have a meeting with the Members of the Executive Committee and the former Presidents of the BASL on the issue in the event the Legislature decides to

Eight resolutions passed unanimously by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) expressing grave concern over the impeachment motion against the Chief Jus

proceed with the said impeachment.

“The BASL also urge the Speaker and the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee appointed for the inquiry to look into the charges in the impeachment to adopt a transparent and accountable procedure with regard to the proceedings before it and announce it before the proceedings are commenced, urge the Speaker and the Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee to recognise their legitimate right to represent on behalf of the BASL in the proposed proceedings before the Select Committee and urge the Speaker and the Chairman of the PSC to ensure that the judicial pronouncements made by the Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake should not influence adversely in the proceedings before the Select Committee and its find

ings.”