Lawyers Collective, headed by senior lawyer J.C. Weliamuna, has raised concerns over Chief Justice Mohan Peiris’s Inclusion in the Presidential delegation which visited Rome, a few days ago.

The collective said the Chief Justice’s inclusion in the delegation was an infringement on the country’s judicial independence. The collective added that the judges should distance themselves from the activities of the government in order to ensure independence of the wellbeing of the judiciary.

The Government Information Department has already announced that the Chief Justice was a member of the Presidential delegation to Vatican.

During the visit, the President extended the official invitation to Pope Fancis for his Sri Lankan visit scheduled for January. The President also detailed the post war progress of the country during his meeting with the Pope who expressed his desire to tour Sri Lanka.

Following the meeting with Pope Francis, the President also met Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. During the tour, the President met the Sri Lankans in Rome and Milano as well as Sri Lankans living in countries such as the UK, France, Germany, Norway and Switzerland that belong to the European Union.

Chief Justice Mohan Peiris, External Affairs Minister Prof G. L. Peiris and Ministers Felix Perera, Dayasritha Thisera, Project Minister Rohitha Abeygunawardena, Deputy Ministers Neomal Perera, Victor Anthony, Sarath Kumara Gunarathna, Monitoring MP Sajin Vass Gunawardena, Chief Opposition Whip John Amaratunga, External Affairs Ministry Secretary Kshanuka Seneviratne and the President’s Chief of Staff Gamini Senarath, Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to the Holy See and Permanent Representative of Sri Lanka to the UN in Geneva Ravinatha Aryasinha and Sri Lanka’s Ambassador to Italy Nawalage Bennet Cooray were members of the Sri Lankan delegation.