Nov 10, Colombo: A senior Sri Lankan counsel has said that Chief Justice Dr. Shirani Bandaranayake could continue to sit and hear cases in court since the impeachment motion against her was still pending in parliament.

President's Counsel K. Kanag-Isvaran in a statement to the Registrar of the Supreme Court, which was published in the local media states that there was no impediment of hindrance or moral issue for the Chief Justice to continue to preside over the Supreme Court as long as she held the office of the Chief Justice.

"In my opinion there is no impediment, or hindrance of whatsoever nature, whether as a matter of constitutional law or otherwise or of morality which prohibits and or otherwise obligates the Chief Justice to refrain from functioning and or presiding at sittings of the Supreme Court so long as she continued to hold the office of the Chief Justice," Kanag-Isvaran has stated.

The senior counsel has requested the Registrar to convey this opinion to the Chief Justice and other judges of the Supreme Court.

Kanag-Isvaran has made this statement in response to the contents of a publication that has stated that the Chief Justice should not preside at sittings of the Supreme Court since there is an impeachment motion against her.

Ruling party lawmakers and state media have criticized the Chief Justice for continuing to conduct her duties and hear cases while impeachment hearing is pending before Parliament saying that her conduct is unethical and unconstitutional.