Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake has asked for a further five weeks to send ‘a detailed response’ to the 14 charges made against her in an impeachment motion, Daily Mirror learns.

In her written request forwarded through the law firm ‘Neelakandan and Neelakandan Associates’ informed the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) the CJ said she had sent a ‘limited response’ to the charges on November 20.

She said November 30 deadline to file answers was not sufficient for the purpose, and therefore asked for a further five weeks.

She denied all the allegations made against her in the resolution signed by 117 Government members. It is also learnt that she had raised concerns about the failure by the PSC to give her some details required to provide an in-depth response.

Meanwhile, the PSC chaired by Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa will start investigations into these charges today in the parliament complex.  The committee members have been kept informed about it.

The PSC has powers to make inquiries into these charges and submit its findings to Parliament for a resolution to be adopted.  The committee comprises seven representatives from the government and four from the opposition.  The opposition members have requested Speaker Chamal Rajapaksa to suspend PSC proceedings by at least by one month after the budget debate. They handed over their letter in this regard to the Speaker on Friday. (Kelum Bandara)