The 22nd Constitutional Amendment Draft Bill, which includes measures to expand the retirement age of judges in Sri Lanka, will be presented to Parliament on Tuesday (18), according to Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara.
The Minister has also confirmed that the Judicature (Amendment) Bill will be presented to Parliament on the same day.
The Constitution states that once a bill is introduced to Parliament, it can be challenged in the Supreme Court within 14 days. The Supreme Court is required to hear any such petition and report its decision to Parliament within 3–21 days.
The Chief Prelates of the three nikayas, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), Opposition political parties, and many international organisations have all spoken out against the Government’s decision to extend the retirement age of judges.
Despite the objections, the Government has proceeded with the gazetting of the proposed 22nd Amendment Bill.
During a meeting with BASL representatives on Wednesday (12), President Anura Kumara Dissanayake reiterated the Government’s view that the proposed amendment should proceed.
However, during the meeting, the BASL delegation had advised the Government not to move forward with the planned amendment, expressing concerns over its potential impact on judicial independence and saying it was not a priority measure for improving the country’s judicial system.
The BASL proposed that all relevant stakeholders, including the legal profession, judges, and academics, be consulted properly and meaningfully before the Government takes any further action. It further proposed that the matter be submitted to a Parliamentary Select Committee.
Meanwhile, the President addressed the Government’s position on the proposal, stating that the decision to extend the retirement age of judges had been made in the public’s best interests rather than those of any individual or group.
The President added that the proposed extension was part of a wider programme to strengthen the justice system, which includes increasing the number of Court of Appeal and High Court judges and improving court infrastructure.