Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa has raised significant concerns about the government's proposal to extend the retirement age of superior court judges, questioning whether the measure would genuinely address the country's case backlog or instead compromise judicial independence.
Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa intensified parliamentary scrutiny of the Government's proposed constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court judges, arguing that the initiative lacks adequate justification and risks undermining judicial independence. Speaking in Parliament, Premadasa noted that while the Government claims the extension would improve judicial efficiency, the proposal has encountered resistance from the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) and other legal sector organisations.
Premadasa questioned the Government's reliance on the proposed measure as a solution to Sri Lanka's court backlog, which stands at approximately 1.1 million cases. He pointed to a 2023 judicial reform report commissioned by the Ministry of Justice with Asian Development Bank technical assistance, which he said identified different priorities for addressing systemic inefficiencies. The Opposition Leader called for official data distinguishing how much of the backlog stems from insufficient judicial personnel versus administrative delays within courts and other government departments.
Citing a 2022 Supreme Court determination, Premadasa emphasized that judges' retirement ages are constitutionally entrenched and that amendments affecting serving judges would require public referendum approval. He noted that judges reportedly rejected the proposal unanimously in a 65-0 vote, and that international legal organisations have expressed concerns about threats to judicial independence. Premadasa requested that the Government present comprehensive studies demonstrating that extending retirement ages—without first filling existing vacancies—would reduce case hearing delays, along with performance indicators to measure reform outcomes.
Premadasa urged the Government to undertake broader consultation with legal bodies before proceeding and called for a comprehensive judicial reform agenda if the retirement age extension forms part of wider reforms. He also referenced opposition letters from the Mahanayake Theras of three Buddhist Nikayas to the President.
