Sri Lanka's Cabinet has approved a proposal to extend the retirement age of judges across all courts by two years, a move aimed at addressing case backlogs but drawing significant opposition from the legal community.

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal to extend the retirement age of judges by two years across Sri Lanka's judicial system. Under the plan, Supreme Court judges would see their retirement age increase from 65 to 67 years, while Court of Appeal judges would move from 63 to 65 years. Similar extensions are planned for High Court, District Court, and Magistrates' Court judges. The proposal requires a constitutional amendment for superior courts and amendments to the Judicature Act for lower courts, with drafts now being prepared by the Legal Draftsman.

The government frames the measure as part of a comprehensive judicial reform package designed to improve efficiency and address an estimated backlog of 1.1 million pending cases. Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara emphasized that Sri Lanka has significantly fewer judges per capita than developed nations, which typically have 40 to 60 judges per million people compared to Sri Lanka's approximately 20. He noted that the retirement age has remained unchanged since 1978 and argued that retaining experienced judges would strengthen the judicial process.

However, the proposal has faced considerable opposition. The Bar Association of Sri Lanka, senior members of the legal fraternity, and the Judicial Services Association have publicly opposed the measure. Critics contend that extending retirement ages without broad consultation undermines judicial independence and sets a troubling precedent. According to the Minister, approximately 65 judges have formally expressed opposition, though this represents only a fraction of the judiciary's 388 members. The government maintains the changes apply uniformly across all courts and are not designed to benefit specific individuals.

Since the amendment requires a two-thirds parliamentary majority, the government's current numerical strength in Parliament positions it to pass the legislation. The proposal must now proceed through the legal drafting process and receive Attorney General clearance before being presented to Parliament for approval.