COLOMBO, Nov 23: The impeachment proceedings of the Sri Lankan Chief Justice, Shirani Bandaranayake, began in parliament on Friday, despite a `request’ by the Supreme Court to suspend the process until it had given its determination on the constitutional procedure for impeachment of judges.

Friday’s proceedings could not be reported as they were held in camera, but the media was informed that the next sitting of the parliamentary committee would be held on Dec 4.

The 11-member committee, comprising seven MPs of the ruling alliance and four of opposition, has before it 14 allegations of financial and administrative misconduct against the CJ. She is expected to appear in person, though she could be assisted by her lawyers. Romesh de Silva will be her chief counsel, who in turn will be assisted by the law firm Neelakandan and Neelakandan.

At the Supreme Court complex in the morning, hundreds of lawyers crowded around the chief justice as she came out to go to parliament. They shook her hands warmly, wished her well and pledged to make the impeachment a struggle for the independence of the judiciary from political interference and domination.

Irate lawyers broke coconuts, a ritual signifying defiance and opposition to evil forces.

On Thursday, the constitutional bench of the Supreme Court had asked the parliamentary committee to suspend the impeachment till it gave its determination on the competence of the committee at the request of the Court of Appeal.

A batch of petitions filed at the Court of Appeal had sought an injunction against the impeachment on the grounds that the committee set up under the Standing Orders of parliament could not have judicial powers except in matters relating to the running of parliament and the privileges of the house.

Parliament could not arrogate to itself judicial powers, which the constitution had vested in the judiciary, they said.

The petitioners had also pointed to inequities in the procedure for the impeachment of judges.

The Court of Appeal sent the petitions to the Supreme Court with a request to clarify the constitutional procedure for the impeachment of judges.