Petitions against PSC withdrawn

Seven petitions filed challenging the parliamentary select committee (PSC) appointed to probe the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake were withdrawn yesterday.

These petitions were filed in the Court of Appeal. Five of them were withdrawn so the cases can be filed again with amendments. However, the other two petitions have been withdrawn with no intention of filing cases again, judiciary sources said.

One of the withdrawn petitions was filed by radical Buddhist monk leader Ven. Maduluwave Sobhitha Thero. The Buddhist monk, Vishaka Perera, Thilak Kariyawasam, M. Gamage and D.A. Harischandra withdrew petitions with rights to file them again with amendments.

Chandra Jayarathna and Dr. Jayampathi Wickramarathna withdrew petitions since the problem pertaining to the impeachment was over.

The petitions were taken for hearing by Appellate Court judges Sri Skandaraja, A.W.A. Salam and Anil Gooneratne.