Sri Lankan parliament debates impeachment of Chief Justice

Sri Lanka's parliament is to hold a debate to finalise the impeachment and remove Chief Justice Shirani Badaranayake. The story has led to widespread criticism from opposition supporters.

The debate comes after a Sri Lankan appeals court has found moves by MPs to impeach Bandaranayake to be unlawful.

According to the judges, the parliamentary select committee which found her guilty of professional misconduct in December lacked authority to make such a ruling.

Opposition to the government have claimed the impeachment charges are politically motivated. They believe the move was aimed at crippling the independence a judiciary which in the past has made rulings unfavourable to Sri Lanka's powerful president.

Following protests, Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa appointed a four-member independent panel to review the parliamentary committee’s impeachment of the chief justice.