Colombo Law Society urges President to abandon plan to extend judges’ retirement age

Colombo, July 03 (Daily Mirror) - The Colombo Law Society (CLS), a premier professional association serving attorneys-at-law in Sri Lanka has urged President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to refrain from proceeding with any Constitutional amendment seeking to extend the retirement age of judges of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal, warning that such a move could undermine public confidence in the independence of the judiciary.

In a letter dated July 2, the Executive Committee of the Colombo Law Society said it had unanimously resolved to convey its concerns over the reported proposal to increase the retirement age of superior court judges. 

The CLS also expressed its support for the position previously taken by the Bar Association of Sri Lanka on the issue.

While acknowledging the invaluable contribution made by members of the higher judiciary to the administration of justice, the CLS stressed that any change to the constitutionally established retirement age should be approached with the utmost caution and only after broad consultation with all relevant stakeholders.

The CLS noted that the retirement ages of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges have remained unchanged since the promulgation of the 1978 Constitution. It cautioned that altering this long-standing Constitutional framework, particularly in a manner affecting serving judges, could create public concern and perceptions capable of eroding confidence in the judiciary’s independence and impartiality.

Accordingly, the CLS called on the President to give the fullest consideration to the concerns expressed by the legal profession and to refrain from proceeding with any Constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of judges of the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court.

The letter was sent under the signatures of Colombo Law Society President Sandun Nagahawatta and its Secretary, Lahiru Welgama.