The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) says it has yet to receive the complete video recordings of its recent meeting with President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on the proposed constitutional amendment to raise the retirement age of superior court judges.
The association said the meeting was held in several stages, during which its representatives set out their concerns about the amendment and its potential consequences for judicial independence.
What the association says was raised
BASL President Rajeev Amarasuriya opened the discussion by outlining the association’s objections and stressing the importance of safeguarding the independence of the judiciary, according to the BASL’s account reported by the Daily Mirror.
Amarasuriya also argued that any decision to extend the retirement age of superior court judges should not be rushed, and should follow adequate consultation with relevant stakeholders.
Deputy President Rienzi Arsakularatne, PC, made further submissions, and Emeritus Professor Savitri Goonesekere presented her views on the amendment’s potential impact on judicial independence. Several former BASL presidents also spoke.
The association said the meeting was intended to give it an opportunity to put its concerns directly to the President, while pressing the case for careful consideration and wider consultation before any constitutional change affecting the judiciary.
Background
The meeting took place on August 12, after the President invited the association for talks. At that meeting the BASL asked the President to consult experts before deciding on the measure.
The 22nd Amendment would raise the mandatory retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and that of Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65. Because those limits are written into the Constitution, the change requires a two-thirds majority in Parliament.
The association has since said it is weighing legal avenues against the amendment. The Daily Mirror separately reports that Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara has said the bill will be presented to Parliament on Tuesday, August 18, and that legal challenges are expected.
The BASL did not say who holds the recordings or why the full set has not been handed over, and no government response was reported.
