⚖️ BASL Warns Against Raising Apex Court Judges' Retirement Age

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has expressed grave concern to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake over reports that the government plans a constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges. • Core Objections: BASL argues the change is arbitrary, unnecessary, and undesirable. It warns that an ad hoc amendment risks eroding public confidence in the legal system, undermining the rule of law, and creating perceptions of political interference with judicial independence. • Current Cadre & Capacity: The association highlights that under the 20th Amendment (2020), the Court of Appeal cadre increased from 12 to 20 judges, and the Supreme Court from 11 to 17 judges. Given this enhanced capacity, BASL states there is no actual workload-related justification to extend the current retirement ages (63 for Court of Appeal; 65 for Supreme Court). • Precedent & Governance: BASL cautions that proceeding with this move sets a dangerous precedent for future governments to manipulate judicial functions through ad hoc constitutional changes, which impacts Sri Lanka's broader institutional stability and governance environment. The BASL has formally urged the President to drop the proposal to safeguard the integrity and perceived impartiality of the republic's judicial pillars.