Lal Wijenaike, senior lawyer and NPP leader, dies

Lal Wijenaike, a prominent Sri Lankan attorney and senior member of the National People's Power (NPP) Executive Committee, has passed away at the age of 85. He died on the evening of Saturday, October 31, 2026, at a private hospital in Kandy.

Wijenaike was a significant figure in Sri Lankan leftist politics and the legal profession, serving on the NPP's Leadership Council and National Operations Committee. He was noted for his advocacy of the rule of law and democracy. In recent months, he gained attention for criticizing the government's 22nd Constitutional Amendment, which sought to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges.

Wijenaike argued that changing the service conditions of sitting judges could allow future governments to influence the judiciary. Alongside the 'Lawyers for Democracy' organization, he filed a petition with the Supreme Court regarding the amendment, characterizing it as a potential constitutional crisis.