Sri Lanka Parliament Passes Judicial Retirement Age Extension

The Parliament of Sri Lanka passed the 22nd Amendment to the constitution on September 25 with a two-thirds majority of 158 votes to 63. The amendment extends the tenure of the Chief Justice and superior court judges by two years, raising the retirement age for Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65. An accompanying Judicature (Amendment) Bill similarly extends the tenure of district and magistrate judges.

Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara and the National People's Power government argued the reforms are necessary to clear a backlog of 1.1 million cases and reduce prison overcrowding following riots that killed 31 people. Government officials stated the changes aim to improve efficiency by increasing the number of courthouses and recruiting more staff.

Opposition leader Sajith Premadasa and the Samagi Jana Balawegaya party led protests in Colombo, with some lawmakers wearing black during the vote to signal their dissent. Critics, including the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, argued the legislation would concentrate power in the executive branch and erode the separation of powers. While over 60 petitions were filed in the Supreme Court claiming the amendment required a public referendum, the court ruled that such a vote was not necessary.