Court quashes Sri Lanka judge Shirani Bandaranayake inquiry

The chief justice says there is "not an iota of truth" in the accusations

A Sri Lankan appeals court has found moves by MPs to impeach Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake to be unlawful.

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

The Supreme Court issued a similar ruling last week. Mrs Bandaranayake denies the allegations of financial and professional wrongdoing.

Critics say the impeachment charges are politically motivated.

They accuse the government of trying to stifle the independence a judiciary which has made rulings unfavourable to Sri Lanka's powerful president.

The government has denied pursuing a vendetta.