A special discussion is scheduled to take place tomorrow (12) between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) on the government’s proposal to raise the retirement age of judges. 

The Presidential Secretariat announced that the meeting will be held at 1.00 pm tomorrow. 

The talks come in the wake of the government’s proposal to extend the  retirement age of judges.

The Government gazetted the Judicature (Amendment) Bill on August 7, which seeks to amend the Judicature Act, No. 2 of 1978. The Bill proposes to increase the maximum number of High Court Judges from 110 to 120, while raising the retirement age of High Court Judges from 61 to 63 years. 

It also stipulates that the retirement age of all other judges and magistrates will be fixed at 62 years, notwithstanding existing provisions under the Public and Judicial Officers (Retirement) Ordinance.  

The BASL has already expressed strong opposition to the government’s move. At a special general meeting held on July 29, BASL members unanimously rejected the proposal to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court judges, warning that it posed a serious threat to judicial independence. 

The Cabinet had approved the measure on July 27 despite objections from the BASL, the Judicial Service Association, several President’s Counsel, and political parties.