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8 clusters · 14 sources · 45 days · First seen · Last updated
Sri Lanka Parliament passes 22nd Amendment
Overview
The Sri Lankan government’s efforts to pass the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution have met with significant political and legal resistance. The ruling National People’s Power (NPP) alliance has faced difficulties in securing cross-party consensus, with the Illankai Thamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) expressing concerns regarding national sovereignty. As the legislation moves toward critical parliamentary debates, specific judicial changes have been detailed. The amendment proposes increasing the retirement age for Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and for Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65. It also seeks to expand the number of Court of Appeal judges from 19 to 24 and introduces a tenure provision for the Chief Justice, requiring retirement at age 67 or after six years in office. On September 22, the Supreme Court ruled that the 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill does not require a public referendum and can be passed by a special two-thirds majority in Parliament. The Court directed that a proviso be added to ensure the six-year term limit does not apply to the current incumbent, Preethi Padman Surasena. Following intense political clashes, Parliament officially passed the 22nd Amendment with a two-thirds majority, receiving 158 votes in favor and 63 against. The legislation, certified by Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne, also includes the Judicature (Amendment) Act, which extends retirement ages for High Court judges from 61 to 63, and for District Judges and Magistrates from 60 to 62. These changes aim to expedite case resolutions and facilitate the establishment of regional Courts of Appeal. The implementation of these tenure extensions has triggered widespread protests and criticism from legal professionals and civic groups. Opponents argue that the extensions, carried out through legislative action, threaten the separation of powers and judicial independence.
Entities
Parliament of Sri Lanka · Supreme Court of Sri Lanka · Sajith Premadasa · Sri Lanka · Samagi Jana Balawegaya
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how many sources carry each claim.
- [● 6 SOURCES] The 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill does not require a public referendum to pass.
- [● 6 SOURCES] The 22nd Constitutional Amendment is consistent with the Constitution of Sri Lanka.
- [● 5 SOURCES] The Judicature Amendment Bill is constitutional and can be passed by a simple majority in Parliament.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The 22nd Amendment is scheduled for parliamentary debate on September 24 and 25.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has announced a public protest in Colombo for September 24.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill requires a special two-thirds majority vote in Parliament to pass.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The amendment proposes extending the retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 years.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The amendment proposes extending the retirement age of Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65 years.
- [● 3 SOURCES] The 6-year term limit will not apply to any person holding the office of Chief Justice when the Act comes into operation.
- [● 2 SOURCES] The government has a two-thirds parliamentary majority of 159 seats.
- [○ 1 SOURCE] The amendment proposes increasing the number of Court of Appeal judges from 19 to 24.
Timeline
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[POLITICS] 2 sourcesSri Lanka faces challenges in democratic and constitutional reforms
Sri Lanka faces challenges in its democratic transition as high-profile political legal actions coincide with parliamentary absenteeism that threatens the effectiveness of the 22nd Amendment reforms.
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[POLITICS] 2 sourcesSri Lanka faces protests over judicial tenure extensions
Sri Lanka faces protests following government decisions to extend judicial tenures, amid Supreme Court rulings regarding constitutional amendments and the scope of judicial discretion.
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[POLITICS] 2 sourcesSri Lanka Parliament passes 22nd Constitutional Amendment
Sri Lanka's Parliament passed the 22nd Constitutional Amendment with 158 votes, raising judicial retirement ages and increasing the number of judges to expedite case resolutions.
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[POLITICS] 3 sourcesSri Lanka political leaders clash over 22nd Amendment
Sri Lankan opposition leader Sajith Premadasa has pledged to repeal the 22nd Amendment if elected, while government ministers accuse the opposition of exaggerating the constitutional change for political gain.
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[POLITICS] 9 sourcesSri Lanka Supreme Court clears 22nd Amendment without referendum
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court ruled the 22nd Constitutional Amendment can pass via a parliamentary two-thirds majority without a referendum, including provisions to extend judicial retirement ages.
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[POLITICS] 5 sourcesSri Lanka 22nd Amendment faces parliamentary debate amid opposition protests
Sri Lanka faces intense political tension as the 22nd Amendment, targeting judicial tenure and retirement ages, heads to parliamentary debate amid opposition protests and Supreme Court review.
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[POLITICS] 2 sourcesSajith Premadasa calls for mass protest against 22nd Amendment
Sajith Premadasa has called for a mass protest in Colombo on September 24 against the proposed 22nd Amendment, accusing the government of undermining democracy and judicial independence.
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[POLITICS] 5 sourcesSri Lanka's 22nd Amendment faces opposition and judicial concerns
Sri Lanka's proposed 22nd Amendment faces political opposition and legal scrutiny over its impact on national sovereignty and judicial independence.
Sources
battinatham.com · battinews.com · english.gossiplankanews.com · europesays.com · frontpage.lk · lankabusinessonline.com · lankanewspapers.com · lankanewsweb.net · lankaxpress.com · newswire.lk · onlanka.com · srilankabrief.org · srilankachronicle.com · tob.news
This summary has been updated 7 times: see revision history