Sri Lanka faces legal opposition to proposed judges' retirement age amendment

Sri Lanka’s legal community is voicing strong opposition to a government proposal to raise the mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges. Senior lawyers and constitutional experts warn that altering the retirement age could be used to extend the tenure of favored judges or force others out, threatening judicial independence and public confidence.

The President of the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association, Steven Thiru, cautioned that without a transparent, inclusive consultation process the reform could “lead to a severe erosion of public trust in the judiciary.” He cited Zimbabwe’s 2021 amendment, which raised judges’ retirement age from 70 to 75 and sparked legal challenges and concerns over executive influence.

Legal professionals are calling for broad national dialogue and consensus before any constitutional amendment is advanced, emphasizing that any change must safeguard the appearance and reality of an independent judiciary.