Sri Lanka's ruling National People's Power government is facing significant resistance from the Bar Association of Sri Lanka and opposition parties over a proposed constitutional amendment to extend the retirement ages of superior court judges, despite commanding a commanding two-thirds parliamentary majority.

The National People's Power government has pressed forward with plans to amend Sri Lanka's constitution to raise the retirement age for Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 years and Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65 years. The move has triggered substantial backlash from legal professionals and political opponents, creating an unusual alliance of dissent against the ruling party's legislative agenda.

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka has emerged as the primary institutional challenger to the proposal, with President Rajeev Amarasuriya leading an organized campaign to block the amendment. Regional lawyer associations, including the Gampaha Lawyers' Association, have also formally opposed the measure, citing concerns about judicial independence and the separation of powers. The government has justified the extension by pointing to case backlogs in the courts, though critics argue this fails to address the core issue of institutional autonomy.

Opposition parties, including the Samagi Jana Balawegaya and the United National Party, have attempted to coordinate resistance to the constitutional amendment following a July 23 meeting at the Opposition Leader's office. However, these efforts have yielded limited parliamentary results, as the NPP's commanding 159-seat majority ensures passage of any legislation. The ruling party has also used parliamentary platforms to attack the BASL leadership, with government lawmakers alleging undisclosed political arrangements, claims the Bar Association has denied.

Observers note that the dispute reflects broader tensions between the executive and judiciary. The government's delay in filling existing vacancies in superior courts—the Supreme Court operates with 12 judges instead of its mandated 16, while the Court of Appeal has 15 instead of 19—has drawn particular scrutiny. Some commentators suggest the amendment specifically targets retaining Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, who assumed office in July 2025, though officials maintain the reform addresses systemic court capacity issues.