President meets BASL over 22nd Amendment and judges’ retirement age

Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake met representatives of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) this afternoon (August 12) to discuss the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution concerning the proposed extension of the retirement age of judges.

The meeting, held at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo, lasted nearly an hour, during which BASL representatives presented their views and recommendations on the proposed amendment.

President Dissanayake listened to the matters raised and explained the Government’s position, as well as measures being planned to strengthen and improve Sri Lanka’s judicial system.

The President said the administration of justice does not rest solely with the judiciary, but is an integrated process involving investigations, prosecutions and adjudication.

Accordingly, he said the Government is taking steps to strengthen the human resources of the Attorney General’s Department, the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption (CIABOC), the Sri Lanka Police and the Government Analyst’s Department.

He also said plans are underway to expand CIABOC services to the district level, increase the number of Court of Appeal judges and provide the infrastructure needed for the Court of Appeal to conduct proceedings on a regional basis, making access to justice more convenient for the public.

The President further highlighted measures being taken to increase the number of High Court judges and provide courts with the necessary physical infrastructure and facilities to make the judicial process more accessible to the public.

President Dissanayake stressed that the decision to extend the retirement age of judges was not taken with any individual or group in mind, but in the broader public interest.

He said the proposed amendment is only one part of a broader reform programme aimed at addressing issues across the entire justice system and does not represent his personal view or the position of the Government alone.

BASL representatives said they had no policy objection to increasing the number of judges or extending the retirement age of judges. However, they proposed that the decision to extend the retirement age be reconsidered with a view to reaching a broader consensus.

Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara, Legal Adviser to the President Attorney-at-Law J. M. Wijebandara, BASL President Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya and senior representatives of the BASL participated in the discussion.