In an apparent bid to safeguard the integrity of the country’s judiciary, Appeal Court President S. Sriskandarajah has objected to the impeachment of Sri Lanka’s 43rd Chief Justice being raised at the start of the Commonwealth Judges’ Conference, judicial sources said today.

The Commonwealth Judges’ Conference was held at the Radisson Blu Waterfront Hotel at Jersey in Channel Island from September 23 to 26.

Three hundred judges from 88 Commonwealth countries participated in the conference held on the theme: “Is Your Latimer” House in Order?”
The five-member delegation from Sri Lanka was headed by Appeal Court President Justice S. Sriskandarajah.

Sir Michael Birt, the Bailiff and Chief Justice of Jersey delivered the keynote address in which he raised the matter with regard to the impeachment Sri Lanka’s Chief Justice 43 -- Shirani A. Bandaranayake.

Justice Sriskandarajah raised objections on the grounds of sub judice.

He said the matter was before the Supreme Court where the Attorney General had requested for special leave to proceed against the judgment of the Court of Appeal which quashed the decision of the Report of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) against Dr. Bandaranayake.

The matter was dropped after taking this matter in consideration and was not included in the agenda of the Commonwealth Judges’ Conference.

The Latimer House guidelines call for a commitment, made in utmost good faith, of the relevant national institutions, in particular, the executive, parliament and the judiciary, to the essential principles of good governance, fundamental human rights and the rule of law, including the independence of the judiciary so that the legitimate aspiration of all peoples of the Commonwealth was met. (S.S. Selvanayagam)