Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Tuesday appointed his cabinet's legal adviser as the country's new Chief Justice to succeed Shirani Bandaranayake, whose impeachment created much furore both inside and outside the nation.
Rajapaksa sworn in new Chief Justice Mohan Peiris to replace Sri Lanka's first woman chief justice who was impeached by the parliament in a controversial move.
Peiris, a British qualified solicitor who retired in 2011 as the Attorney General was serving as the legal advisor to the Cabinet. He is being seen as a favourite of the government. Peiris has lobbied for Sri Lanka during the sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council in recent years. He is also supervising the implementations of recommendations by Sri Lanka's post war reconciliation commission (LLRC). Presidential officials said Peiris took over as the new chief justice on Tuesday after the sacking of Bandaranayake following a parliamentary ratification last week of the impeachment against her.
I AM LEGITIMATE CJ: BANDARANAYAKE
Having been unceremoniously removed as Sri Lanka’s top judge, Shirani Bandaranayake on Tuesday said she still believed she was the legitimate chief justice of the country and expressed fear for her life and that of her family in a stoic parting statement. Sri Lanka’s first woman chief justice, who was impeached by the parliament, said she was ‘unjustly persecuted’ for standing up for an ‘independent judiciary’.
‘I still am the duly appointed legitimate chief justice,’ she said, refusing to acknowledge her removal as legitimate.
Rajapaksa sworn in new Chief Justice Mohan Peiris to replace Sri Lanka's first woman chief justice who was impeached by the parliament in a controversial move.
Peiris, a British qualified solicitor who retired in 2011 as the Attorney General was serving as the legal advisor to the Cabinet. He is being seen as a favourite of the government. Peiris has lobbied for Sri Lanka during the sessions of the United Nations Human Rights Council in recent years. He is also supervising the implementations of recommendations by Sri Lanka's post war reconciliation commission (LLRC). Presidential officials said Peiris took over as the new chief justice on Tuesday after the sacking of Bandaranayake following a parliamentary ratification last week of the impeachment against her.
I AM LEGITIMATE CJ: BANDARANAYAKE
Having been unceremoniously removed as Sri Lanka’s top judge, Shirani Bandaranayake on Tuesday said she still believed she was the legitimate chief justice of the country and expressed fear for her life and that of her family in a stoic parting statement. Sri Lanka’s first woman chief justice, who was impeached by the parliament, said she was ‘unjustly persecuted’ for standing up for an ‘independent judiciary’.
‘I still am the duly appointed legitimate chief justice,’ she said, refusing to acknowledge her removal as legitimate.