SC has confirmed our stand: Opp. PSC Member Kiriella

Friday, 4 January 2013 03:38 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Opposition member of the Parliamentary Select Committee and UNP Senior Vice President Lakshman Kiriella said yesterday that he was glad to note that the Supreme Court had confirmed the stand taken by the opposition members of the PSC, when they walked out of the proceedings.

“Today the Supreme Court in an interpretation of the Sri Lankan constitution clearly stated that impeachment process is a total violation of the constitution. The four opposition members of the PSC witnessed the unconstitutional acts fo the Select Committee and that is why we withdrew as we did not want to be part of a witch-hunt,” Kiriella said in a statement released to the media following the announcement of the Supreme Court ruling.

Kiriella said that it was the Supreme Court that had the sole right to interpret the constitution. “Parliament can make constitutions, but the right of interpretation is solely with the Supreme Court. In fact when Mr. Chamal Rajapaksa addressed parliament on the Divineguma Bill, he said Supreme Court and Supreme Court alone had the sole right to interpret the constitution,” he noted.

The UNP MP added that given the ruling, the only choice left to the Government is to withdraw the impeachment motion and frame new laws to provide for the impeachment process based on natural justice. (DB)