Summary Thousands of govt-supporters took to the streets calling for Shirani Bandaranayake's resignation.
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka s chief justice appeared before a Parliamentary committee for a second time Tuesday to answer impeachment charges in a case that has drawn protests from both supporters and opponents.
Thousands of government-supporters took to the streets calling for Shirani Bandaranayake s resignation, while Buddhist monks, Catholic priests, opposition lawmakers, judges, lawyers and rights activists rallied in support of her.
The government has accused Bandaranayake of misusing power and having unexplained wealth. She denies any wrongdoing.
Opposition parties and independent analysts say the impeachment attempt is aimed at stifling judiciary independence and concentrating power with President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Sri Lanka s influential Buddhist monks, lawyers, trade unions and civil society activists want the government to withdraw the motion, saying it threatens the judiciary s independence.
"We urge the government to withdraw this motion even at this stage," said J.C. Weliamuna, a lawyer and activist. He said the "government is hell-bent on getting rid of chief justice" for ruling against it several times.
Those in favor of the motion shouted slogans demanding Bandaranayake s resignation.
"The chief justice should resign immediately if she is really concerned about the independence and integrity of the judiciary," said Ajantha Liyanage, one of the organisers of the protest and a local politician representing Rajapaksa s ruling coalition.
The impeachment motion was submitted a month ago calling for a Parliament Select Committee to investigate 14 charges and remove Bandaranayake.
If the committee determines that the complaint has merit, an impeachment motion will be voted on and forwarded to Rajapaksa for further action. With his ruling coalition controlling more than two-thirds of Parliament s seats, such a motion is expected to be carried easily.
The United Nations, the United States and rights groups have expressed concerns about the motion, which follows months of conflict between Parliament and the judiciary.
Bandaranayake came under strong government criticism after she ruled that legislation giving more power to Minister of Economic Development Basil Rajapaksa, a brother of the president, violated the constitution.
