Jan 04, Colombo: Deputy Speaker of Sri Lanka parliament Chandima Weerakkody said that the parliament had not received the ruling of the Appellate Court on the legal powers of the Parliamentary Select Committee (PSC) to probe the impeachment motion against the Chief Justice.

He said while Standing Orders are not laws, parliament is vested with the powers to remove the judges of Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal under the article 107 of the Constitution through law or Standing Orders.

The Deputy Speaker stated that the PSC has neither taken a final decision if the Chief Justice is guilty on any count nor it has taken a decision to remove her. The final decision will be taken by the parliament, he said.

In addition, the judiciary is not vested with powers over the legislature under article 4(c) of the Constitution, the Deputy Speaker said.

He argued that British parliamentary traditions which Sri Lanka follows in case of inadequacies in the Constitution of Sri Lanka, also do not summon parliament into courts and the judiciary does not interfere in impeachment of the judges.