BASL to stage islandwide protest

10 December 2012 04:42 am

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) yesterday decided to stage an islandwide protest condemning the findings of the probe conducted by the Parliamentary Select Committee.

The BASL also condemned the denial of natural justice to Chief Justice Shirani Banadaranayake and the unfair procedure followed during the probe.
Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, the president of the BASL, the policy making body of the legal fraternity comprising more than 11,000 members said that the Executive Committee had decided to stage a one-hour protest condemning the attempts to impeach the CJ. “The Chief Justice was denied natural justice and the procedure followed was unfair,” he said. “We are also condemning the discourteous treatment given to the head of the judiciary by some of the members of the Parliamentary Select Committee,” he said. The Bar Association has requested all its members to stage a one-hour protest from 9.00 am to 10.00 am on Wednesday, December 12 to protest the findings of the PSC.

Meanwhile, the Bar Association has once again called a Special General Meeting with the participation of the entire membership on Saturday, December 15 to decide on further action against the PSC findings. A similar meeting was held on November 10, at which an eight-point resolution was passed against the impeachment motion.

Also, at a special meeting held last Saturday with the participation of senior officials of the outstation bars, a proposal had been made to request international bodies, including the United Nations Organisation, the Commonwealth Association and the International Bar Association, to refrain from recognising the appointment of a new Chief Justice in Sri Lanka. (Susitha R Fernando)