London, 15 November 2012 — Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma today expressed concern about the recent move by the Parliament of Sri Lanka to impeach the country’s Chief Justice, Dr Shirani Bandaranayake.
Speaking in London, the Secretary-General said: “The Commonwealth's principal consideration is that the provisions of Sri Lanka's constitution are upheld with regards to the removal of judges, respecting the independence of the judiciary.”
The Secretary-General stressed that the Commonwealth believes the preservation of the rule of law and independence of the judiciary are vital to the healthy functioning of a democracy. He noted: “The Commonwealth's Latimer House Principles, which govern the relationship between the three branches of government, are a cornerstone of our association’s values. All our member states have committed themselves to upholding the Latimer House Principles so that citizens' faith and confidence in democratic culture is assured and the rule of law is maintained.”
