Sri Lanka Bar Association protests judge retirement age extension as India Supreme Court orders interim increase

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has voiced strong opposition to the government's proposal to raise the retirement age of Supreme Court judges. BASL President Rajeev T. Amarasuriya warned that the amendment could undermine judicial independence and urged the administration to first fill existing vacancies in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal, which together have eight unfilled seats.

In India, the Supreme Court issued an interim directive for all states and Union Territories to consider extending the retirement age of district judges from 60 to 61 years, effective 1 April 2026, pending a final decision on whether to raise it uniformly to 62 years. The order requires state governments and High Courts to submit their positions within two weeks, allowing judges to continue serving if both parties agree.

Both developments reflect ongoing debates in South Asia over judicial tenure reforms and the balance between maintaining an independent judiciary and addressing staffing shortages.