The United National Party has rejected a government proposal to amend the Constitution and Judiciary Act to extend judicial tenure, arguing that such measures are unnecessary and unsupported by expert recommendations.
The United National Party Working Committee has declared its opposition to a government proposal to amend the Constitution and Judiciary Act, which officials claim aims to strengthen judicial independence and reduce case backlogs. The party acknowledged that addressing the backlog is a shared priority across political parties but contended that extending judges' tenure is not an appropriate solution.
The UNP pointed to a Governance Diagnostic Assessment commissioned from the International Monetary Fund as evidence supporting its position. According to the report—the first of its kind prepared for an Asian country—the judicial backlog represents the most serious challenge facing Sri Lanka's court system. The IMF assessment documented severe workload pressures, with District Court judges in Colombo each managing approximately 2,000 recovery cases, while Magistrates handle over 5,000 cases annually. The report noted that enforcing a contract typically requires 6 to 7 years, deterring businesses from using courts to settle disputes.
Crucially, the UNP stated that the IMF report did not recommend extending judges' tenure. Instead, the assessment advocated for alternative reforms, including establishing specialized courts for case backlogs, improving administrative efficiency, and strengthening support staff and Alternative Dispute Resolution mechanisms. The UNP argued that the government's justification for tenure extension therefore lacks empirical support.
The party called for suspending the proposed constitutional amendment pending broader consultation involving Parliament, the Attorney General, the Judiciary, and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka. The UNP emphasized the need to address approximately 1.1 million pending cases and fill existing court vacancies without delay. The party pledged support for developing a new judicial system through collaborative processes before implementation.
