Opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) MP Ajith P. Perera has alleged that the government intends to push through a constitutional amendment extending the retirement age of Supreme Court judges before the end of this year, calling the move secretive and politically motivated.
Speaking on the “360°” programme on TV Derana on Sunday night (July 13), Perera said no formal request for such a change had come from the Chief Justice, Supreme Court or Court of Appeal judges, or the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL). “The High Court Judges’ Association and the Bar Association are both opposed to it. No one has explained to Parliament why such an amendment is being introduced, nor has it been discussed by any parliamentary committee,” he said.
Perera claimed the proposal originated from “a draft prepared by a privately appointed committee” and accused the administration of trying to “reshape the balance of the judiciary to suit the government’s political interests.” He alleged the aim was to have the amendment passed during the first week of December, arguing the timeline pointed to a “hidden agenda.”
National People’s Power (NPP) MP Chandana Sooriyarachchi rejected the suggestion of impropriety, saying the government had a duty to strengthen the public service by retaining experienced professionals, particularly in the judicial sector. He stressed that no final decision had been taken and that proposals to revise retirement limits had been raised across several professions.
The controversy escalated sharply on Monday when the Judicial Service Association of Sri Lanka (JSASL) — the sole body representing all District Court judges and Magistrates — informed President Dissanayake in writing that it had unanimously passed a resolution opposing any extension of the statutory retirement age for judges. A Special General Meeting resolved by secret ballot that it did not agree with the move, and the letter was signed by JSASL Vice President Magistrate Chamara Wickramanayake and Secretary Magistrate Suranga Munasinghe, Daily Mirror reported. The resolution followed the resignation of association president Magistrate Pasan Amarasena, who said he had been pressed to convene the urgent meeting contrary to the association’s constitution. The BASL, which represents more than 26,000 attorneys, has separately registered its protest over the proposed constitutional amendment, which is understood to seek raising the retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65.
The exchange is the latest in a months-long controversy over judicial tenure. The Justice Ministry earlier said no Cabinet decision had been taken, the BASL has warned against a hasty amendment, and the president of the Judicial Services Association resigned last week citing the issue. The government has separately said it is reviewing retirement ages across key professions.
Update (July 14) — government responds at Cabinet briefing: Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said the government is still examining the possibility of extending judges’ retirement age and has not reached a final decision. Speaking at the weekly Cabinet media briefing, he said the Cabinet had discussed the matter in detail and decided to seek a report from the Ministry of Justice before deciding on the next steps. Jayatissa linked the proposal to the persistent backlog of cases from the Supreme Court down to Magistrate’s Courts, the concentration of judicial institutions in Colombo, and difficulties in retaining and attracting legal professionals. He noted that while the 20th Amendment in 2020 raised the number of Supreme Court judges from 11 to 17 and Court of Appeal judges from 12 to 20, it did not address the retirement age at the time.
