A proposal to raise the retirement age of judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal is set to be placed before the Cabinet of Ministers on July 30, as the government moves ahead with a plan that has drawn sustained objections from the legal fraternity and the opposition.
According to NewsFirst, the Ministry of Justice is finalising the proposal for submission to Cabinet. Cabinet Spokesperson Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa had confirmed on July 21 that the government requested a report from the Ministry on the matter, signalling that the administration intends to legislate a change to judicial tenure. The specific current and proposed retirement ages were not disclosed.
The plan has quickly become a political flashpoint. Opposition parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara charged that the intended amendment was “nothing but a move to please the current Chief Justice,” questioning the timing and motivation behind altering the tenure of the country’s most senior judges.
The criticism echoes concerns raised earlier in the week, when opposition party leaders — including two former presidents — met at the Office of the Opposition Leader to coordinate a response over what they described as a threat to judicial independence. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka has likewise cautioned that constitutional changes affecting the superior courts should not be introduced in an ad hoc manner, urging that any such amendment be backed by demonstrable institutional necessity, transparent justification and broad stakeholder consultation.
The proposal’s fate now rests with Cabinet, which is expected to take it up at its July 30 meeting.
