Impeachment: ‘She Got Too Big For Her Boots’ – Mahinda Rajapaksa Talked To Former CJ Sarath Silva
November 2, 2012
President Mahinda Rajapaksa told former Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva yesterday that he was keen to resolve the problems with the judiciary in an amicable way.
Asked why he was moving to impeach the present Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayakewhen she was an eminent judge with excellent legal skill, President Rajapaksa replied: “I didn’t want to, but she got too big for her boots.” (eya tharamata wada idimuna). “But I also want to settle this matter in a friendly way,” he said
The pair met at the funeral of former Attorney General and Acting Chief Justice Rajah Wanasundera yesterday, President Rajapaksa made a bee-line for the former Chief Justice and enveloped him in a warm bear hug. “You don’t even take my calls anymore. Whatever happens you and I are old friends,” President Rajapaksa berated Silva amidst a large crowd from the legal fraternity. Many of lawyers and retired judges present at the funeral urged the President to reconsider the proposed impeachment of the Chief Justice.
The ruling coalition yesterday handed a motion of impeachment to Speaker of Parliament Chamal Rajapaksa against the sitting Chief Justice bearing the signatures of 117 MPs and containing charges of ‘improper conduct’ filed under Article 107 of the Constitution.
