The International Association of Judges has called on the Sri Lankan government to withdraw its proposed constitutional amendment extending the retirement age of senior judges, citing concerns over the timing and manner of introduction rather than the concept itself.
The International Association of Judges (IAJ), which represents 93 national judges' associations across five continents, has issued a formal call for the Sri Lankan government to reconsider a proposed constitutional amendment that would extend the retirement age of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges by two years. The organization emphasized that its objections do not stem from opposition to the idea of modifying judicial retirement ages in general.
The IAJ's primary concerns center on the process through which the amendment has been introduced. According to the organization, constitutional changes affecting the judiciary should follow a "reasoned, principled, consultative, and transparent procedure" rather than what it characterized as an arbitrary and ad hoc announcement. The association warned that failing to adopt such a measured approach risks undermining judicial independence.
A significant concern raised by the IAJ involves public perception of the amendment's purpose. The organization noted that the legislation is widely perceived as being designed to benefit specific judicial officers currently in office. The IAJ stressed that such perceptions damage public confidence in the judiciary's independence, regardless of the government's actual intentions. The association aligned itself with concerns previously raised by both the Judicial Service Association of Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth Lawyers Association.
The IAJ, founded in Salzburg, Austria in 1953, pledged to continue monitoring developments in Sri Lanka as the government considers its position on the proposed amendment.
