By Ravi Ladduwahetty

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) would work with the new Chief Justice to be appointed shortly but boycott the ceremonial induction and welcome address of Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake’s successor, BASL sources said last night. Former Attorney General Mohan Peiris is tipped to succeed the impeached Dr. Bandaranayake.

“The BASL will have to cooperate with the new Chief Justice as official work of the Judiciary will have to continue independently, sources told The Island last night.

Responding to a question whether the BASL had softened its stance on the new CJ, sources said, the association was left with no alternative.

Meanwhile, President Mahinda Rajapaksa told the members of the BASL, at a meeting at Temple Trees yesterday, that he had submitted his nominee for the post of Chief Justice to the Parliamentary Council and it was expected to be ratified this morning. That was confirmed by Presidential Spokesman Mohan Samaranayake.

“Now that President Rajapaksa has nominated another candidate to be the new CJ, we have decided to soften our stance but we will boycott the ceremonial induction,” the BASL source said.

President Rajapaksa explained to the BASL that former Chief Justice Dr. Bandaranayake had been impeached in accordance with the existing Constitutional provisions and a two-thirds parliamentary majority.

However, when the BASL had pointed out that the two apex Courts – the Supreme Court and the Appeal Court had held that the Standing Orders in Parliament had no power impeach a Chief Justice, President Rajapaksa had assured them that there would be amendments to the Constitution which would ensure that there will not be a repeat of the circumstances which led to the impeachment of Dr. Bandaranayake, the BASL sources said.

The President requested the BASL membership to preserve the sanctity of the Judiciary and not to turn the precincts of the superior courts complex into a venue of protests like the Lipton Circus.

The BASL also voiced its concern to the President over a steep rise in stamp duties for affidavits and land registrations and others through the Budget 2013. The President requested the BASL to submit a proposal to him on how those could be reduced and he would consider it seriously. courtesy: The Island