Sri Lankan President considers an independent committee to probe allegations against Chief Justice

Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa today said he is willing to set up a new independent commission to review the proceedings of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) appointed to probe allegations against the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake. Addressing a ceremony to declare open a new building complex for Sri Lanka Chartered Accountants Institute in Colombo today, the President cautioned not to rush into hasty conclusions regarding the impeachment motion. He said comments cannot be made on the PSC report as yet since there is a one-month period before it will be taken up for debate in Parliament. The opposition has also expressed the need to probe the impeachment against the Chief Justice by an independent body and they have suggested a committee of retired Supreme Court judges. Some ruling party members have also proposed an independent committee and the opposition has expressed agreement with them.