Sri Lanka: Court Rejects an Inquiry

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/04/world/asia/sri-lankas-supreme-court-rejects-an-inquiry.html

Version 0 of 1.

The Supreme Court declared Thursday that a parliamentary committee did not have the legal power to investigate accusations of misuse of power and unexplained wealth against the chief justice, Shirani Bandaranayake. The case has drawn criticism as an attempt by the government to stifle the judiciary’s independence. Three members of the court said the committee that investigated Ms. Bandaranayake “has no legal power or authority to make a finding adversely affecting the legal rights of a judge.” Parliament is expected to vote for the chief justice’s impeachment this month. President Mahinda Rajapaksa became critical of her after she ordered that a proposed law giving vast powers to the economic development minister was illegal. The minister is Mr. Rajapaksa’s brother.