Parliamentary affairs - Neither SC nor a judicial officer can interfere

Referring to the statement by President Maithripala Sirisena that the Attorney General had informed him there were issues pertaining to the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC), House Leader Lakshman Kiriella said yesterday neither the Supreme Court nor any other Judicial Officer could intervene in matters pertaining to the legislature.

He said former Speaker Anura Bandaranaike had made this situation clear in the ruling he gave with regard to the impeachment of the then Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva in 2001.

The minister was also responding to some opposition members who said some of the matters being inquired into by the PSC were sub judice effect when considering the cases pending in Court on the Easter Sunday attacks.

“There are no court cases on the Easter Sunday attacks other than fundamental rights petitions filed in court. Those FR petitions are not covered by Standing Orders,” he said.

The minister said the PSC which was appointed to look into the actions of former chief justice Shirani Bandaranaike continued despite the Appeal Court ruling to stop the committee proceedings. (Yohan Perera and Ajith Siriwardana)