"We urge that the Government of Sri Lanka and the Parliamentary Select Committee investigating the Chief Justice ensure any investigation be conducted transparently, guarantee due process, and is conducted in accordance with the rule of law," the embassy said.

Sri Lanka's Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranaike walked out of impeachment proceedings yesterday with lawyers saying she was called a 'mad woman' by legislators in the ruling party dominated select committee.

Lawyers said she was given about 1,000 pages of documents which she was supposed to answer today. Earlier she was denied the six weeks usually given to criminal suspects to answer charges.

Sri Lanka's main opposition has expressed concerns that the Chief Justice is being denied natural justice.