Ranil raises concerns over proposal to extend judges’ retirement age

Former President Ranil Wickremesinghe has warned that the government’s proposal to extend the retirement age of judges could undermine the independence and neutrality of the judiciary. Responding to a question during an exclusive youth dialogue titled “Read with Ranil” held at the Cinnamon Grand in Colombo, Wickremesinghe said there is significant opposition to the proposal within the legal community. He noted that most members of the legal profession, as well as judges themselves, are against extending the retirement age beyond 65 years, adding that it is the government that appears keen to push the proposal forward. “There is a big controversy at the moment,” Wickremesinghe said, questioning how far the government was prepared to go despite the resistance. “The more the government pushes, they may be compromising the neutrality of the judiciary,” he said. Wickremesinghe said the decision ultimately rests with the government but warned that proceeding with the proposal could lead to growing opposition from both political and non-political groups. “If they want to go ahead, I think there is going to be more and more opposition, both in the political sphere and the non-political sphere,” he said. Wickremesinghe made the remarks while engaging with young people at the inaugural “Read with Ranil” dialogue, organised by the Smart UNP Unit of the National Youth Front. The first edition focused on “The New World Order: Geopolitics, Economic Shifts & Sri Lanka’s Future.” (Newswire)