Sri Lanka's Cabinet has endorsed a proposal to amend the Constitution and the Judicature Act to expand the judiciary and improve court efficiency, including raising the mandatory retirement age for judges.

The Cabinet of Ministers has greenlit constitutional and legislative amendments intended to enhance the functioning of Sri Lanka's judicial system. The Justice Minister's proposal addresses longstanding concerns about case backlogs and delays by recommending structural changes to the court system.

Under the proposed reforms, the government plans to increase the number of judges serving on both the Court of Appeal and High Court. Officials stated that additional Court of Appeal judges are necessary to support the court's regional operations as outlined in the Constitution's Article 146. Similarly, more High Court judges would be appointed to accelerate case hearings in provincial High Courts handling both original criminal matters and civil appeals.

A key component of the reforms involves raising the mandatory retirement age for judicial officers. The government indicated that extending judges' tenure would retain experienced legal professionals during the judicial system's expansion and the Court of Appeal's transition to regional functioning. According to the Cabinet's statement, these measures aim to fortify judicial independence while simultaneously streamlining proceedings.

The Cabinet has instructed the Legal Draftsman's office to prepare the formal amendments required to implement these changes to both the Constitution and the Judicature Act No. 2 of 1978. The reforms are framed as necessary adjustments to manage increasing caseloads and improve overall court administration.