Rajapaksa starts process to name successor to impeached Lanka CJ
15 Jan 2013 5:59 AM IST
Former Sri Lankan Attorney General Mohan Peiris has emerged as the front runner to succeed sacked Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake. Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa has initiated the process to name a successor to impeached chief justice Bandaranayake who was sacked on Sunday, presidential officials said on Monday. They said that a nominee was intimated to the parliamentary council which would meet on Tuesday to ratify the appointment. It is widely believed that former Attorney General Mohan Peiris would be the next chief justice and would be installed in office on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Colombo is coming under international pressure over the sacking of Bandaranayake, 54, the country's first woman chief justice. The Commonwealth and the Canadian government joined in criticism following concerns that came from the US and Britain. In the second Commonwealth release within a few days, Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said, ‘I will also consider further commonwealth initiatives and responses as are envisaged in situations that could be perceived to constitute violations of core commonwealth values and principles.’ Sharma is to visit Colombo next month. The Commonwealth in its earlier statement had urged Sri Lanka to act with restraint on the sacking of Bandaranayake. Since then, the Chief Justice came to be sacked Rajapaksa following last week's parliamentary vote on her removal.
Meanwhile, Colombo is coming under international pressure over the sacking of Bandaranayake, 54, the country's first woman chief justice. The Commonwealth and the Canadian government joined in criticism following concerns that came from the US and Britain. In the second Commonwealth release within a few days, Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said, ‘I will also consider further commonwealth initiatives and responses as are envisaged in situations that could be perceived to constitute violations of core commonwealth values and principles.’ Sharma is to visit Colombo next month. The Commonwealth in its earlier statement had urged Sri Lanka to act with restraint on the sacking of Bandaranayake. Since then, the Chief Justice came to be sacked Rajapaksa following last week's parliamentary vote on her removal.
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