Mar 05, Colombo: The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has appointed a nine judge bench today to hear the petitions filed against the impeachment of former Chief Justice.

The nine-judge bench is to hear five fundamental rights applications and a special leave to appeal on the Court of Appeal judgment regarding the impeachment of former Chief Justice Dr. Shirani A. Bandaranayake and the appointment of Mohan Peiris as Chief Justice.

The cases are fixed to be taken up today before a Bench comprising Justices Shiranee Tilakawardane, Gamini Amaratunga, Saleem Marsoof, K. Sripavan, P.A. Ratnayake, Chandra Ekanayake, Sathya Hettige, Priyasath Dep and S.E. Wanasundera.

The Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA), Ceylon Teachers' Services Union (CTSU), Athula Chandragupta Thenuwara, the Inter Companies Employees' Union (ICEU) and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) have filed the petitions.

Dr. Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu, on behalf of the Centre for Policy Alternatives, has filed a petition challenging the constitutionality of the appointment of Chief Justice, Mohan Peiris.

Four of the fundamental rights petitions against the impeachment of Dr. Bandaranayake have sought a declaration that Standing Order 78A is ultra vires the Constitution and null and void and has no force or effect in law.

Another petition, filed in the Supreme Court, seeks withdrawal of the certiorari writ issued by the Court of Appeal against the parliamentary select committee (PSC) that probed the impeachment.