No vacation for PSC

By Dharisha Bastians

The Parliamentary Select Committee sittings to probe the impeachment motion against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake are to continue till 15 December at least, during Parliament vacation, the Daily FT learns.

Opposition Parliamentary Select Committee members put up a major fight yesterday to have committee sittings postponed till 8 January, but the seven UPFA members flatly refused. As an interim compromise, the committee will meet until 15 December, with more dates to be decided in due course.  The four Opposition members submitted a letter to the Speaker last week requesting that PSC sittings be postponed for a month during the Parliament vacation, since legislators on the committee needed a break from the continuous sessions since November because of the Budget debates. The Speaker referred the matter to the PSC to be decided by a consensus of the committee members.  

Intense debates ensued regarding the postponement when the PSC reconvened in Parliament yesterday, but ended in no consensus beyond the 15 December point.

Meanwhile, the Daily FT learns that some documentary evidence pertaining to the charges of financial misconduct against the Chief Justice were tabled at the PSC yesterday. The evidence is to be handed over to the Chief Justice’s legal team today.

The Chief Justice is due to appear before the PSC again at 2:30 p.m.