By Saman Indrajith

Thirty one of the 117 MPs who signed the motion of impeachment seeking the appointment of Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to investigate charges against Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake and recommended her removal from the position told the media yesterday that they wanted the PSC process to be expedited.

Minister S. B. Dissanayake addressing a press conference held at the Parliamentary Complex said that the signatories expected justice to prevail despite many attempts by the Opposition and anti-government elements to sabotage the PSC process.

“Right from the beginning there has been an understanding as well as agreement that none of us would talk about this issue in the House or outside. But anti-national and anti-government elements who call themselves the supporters of Chief Justice took to streets and media abusing the government and levelling wild allegations. There seem to be lot of attempts to sabotage this process.

We put our signatures on the motion and handed it over to the Speaker with the hope that justice would be done. We demand this process should not be stopped but expedited and justice be delivered as soon as possible,” the Minister said.

Minister Dissanayake said that the so-called supporters of the CJ had organized demonstrations and protests smashing coconuts to gain political mileage. Those protests had all the signs and trappings of anti national campaigns, he said. “We have reason to believe that the CJ encouraged such action because on the days she came to Parliament she used the entrance meant for public where the demonstrators smashed coconuts and shouted slogans against the government. She has become a pawn in the hands of anti national elements.”

The Higher Education Minister said that he had come to know through the media that the Chief Justice and her lawyers had staged a walk-out from the PSC. “It does not affect the PSC according to the Standing Orders. But we still hope that she will respond to the charges at least through the media.

Minister John Seneviratne said that the Chief Justice and her lawyers had been given 22 days to respond to the charges but before the PSC wound up its proceedings, she had staged a walk-out. “We consider this act by very senior people representing the law of this country as disrespect for the Constitution which has provided powers to the PSC,” he said.

“Her walk-out is a planned act and it was deftly executed. That was what happened,” Minister Seneviratne said.

Ministers and MPs Mahindananda Aluthgamage, Sumedha G. Jayasena, Gamini Lokuge, Lalith Dissanayake, C. B. Ratnayake, Lakshman Seneviratne, Unais Farook, Lasantha Alagiyawanne, Shantha Bandara, Malini Fonseka, Sarath Gunaratne, Arundika Fernando, Lohan Ratwatte, Wijith Wijayamuni Zoyza, Jeevan Kumaratunga, Nishantha Mutuhettigama, S. M. Chandrasena, Weerakumara Dissanyake, Duminda Dissanayake, Uditha Lokubandara, Victor Antony, Nimal Wijesinghe, Duleep Wijesekera, Jagath Pushpakumara, Rohana Dissanayake, Sriyani Wijewickrema, Neranjan Wickremasinghe, Eric Prasanna Weerawardene and Premalal Jayasekera were also present. COURTESY”THE ISLAND