The Anglican Church in Sri Lanka has urged the government to abandon its proposed constitutional amendment to raise the retirement age of appellate court judges, arguing the move lacks genuine justification and could harm judicial independence.

The Church of Ceylon has voiced strong opposition to the Cabinet's plan to amend the constitution regarding the retirement age of appellate court judges. In a formal statement, the Anglican institution expressed disappointment that the government did not accept warnings from the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, the legal community, and civil society organizations, who contended that such legislation could compromise the rule of law and erode public trust in an independent judiciary.

The Church questioned the government's stated rationale for the amendment. While officials have cited the need to address court case backlogs as justification, the Church noted that numerous vacancies in appellate courts remain unfilled without clear explanation. This discrepancy led the Church to conclude that "the real motivation for this amendment lacks bona fides," suggesting ulterior motives behind the proposal.

The Church also criticized the broader context of the amendment, noting that the government has failed to implement promised constitutional reforms despite their stated commitment to such changes. These broader reforms have long included abolishing the executive presidency, reinforcing independent institutions, and addressing grievances of minority communities. The Church emphasized that pursuing an amendment that was neither debated during recent reform discussions nor featured in election campaigns "lacks moral legitimacy and constitutional propriety."

In its statement, the Church called on multiple parties to act: the President and Cabinet to withdraw the proposal, parliament to exercise its duty to restrain executive action, and the judiciary itself to consider the potential reputational damage and threat to the rule of law that the amendment could create.