Judges retirement age: BASL unanimously opposes extension

30 Jul 2026 | BY Buddhika Samaraweera The Morning

• Prez to be informed of BASL stance
• Special general meeting votes against Govt proposal
• To take all possible steps against ‘unwise, erroneous, unethical, abusive, corrupt’ move

In a unanimous show of opposition, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) yesterday (29) rejected the Government’s proposal to extend the retirement age of judges, warning the move could undermine judicial independence.

BASL President, attorney-at-law Rajeev Amarasuriya said every lawyer who participated in the Special General Meeting, either physically or online, voted against the proposal, giving the Association a clear mandate to oppose it.

Speaking to the media after the meeting held at the BASL headquarters in Colombo, Amarasuriya said more than 3,000 lawyers had participated and described the Government’s decision as an extremely unwise move.

“I asked all the lawyers who opposed the Government’s proposal to raise their hands, and every single person did. I then asked whether anyone supported it. Not a single person agreed with the proposal,” he said.

“This is a severe blow to the independence of the Judiciary. We have spoken about this from the beginning and we will continue to do so with even greater strength and determination,” Amarasuriya added.

He said the unanimous backing received at the meeting had strengthened the BASL’s position, adding that the Association would take every possible step to oppose the proposal.

“Previously, we had only the approval of the BASL’s Bar Council to oppose this proposal, but we have now received the endorsement of the entire legal community. They are telling me that this is completely wrong and unethical. This is abuse. This is corruption. This has to stop,” he said.

Amarasuriya warned that any erosion of judicial independence would have consequences lasting generations.

“When judicial independence is undermined, it affects generations. This proposal places Supreme Court Judges themselves in an uncomfortable position because they too will have to rule on a matter from which they themselves stand to benefit,” he said.

He said the Government should have consulted relevant parties before proceeding with the proposal and urged it to reconsider the decision.

“If, after hearing our views, the Government still wishes to proceed, then this must inevitably be put before the people through a referendum. That is our position,” he said.

Amarasuriya said the BASL had been raising objections to the proposal for nearly two months but had not been given an opportunity to formally present its views before the Cabinet decision was taken.

“We have a duty to protect our profession, the legal system and the people. We will not be shaken by mudslinging. We will continue,” he said.

The BASL President also said the proposal had drawn opposition from members of the Judiciary and cautioned that actions affecting judicial independence could have serious long-term implications.

Attorney and Opposition Parliamentarian Dayasiri Jayasekara, speaking after the meeting, said BASL members had unanimously expressed their opposition to the proposal.

The Special General Meeting, convened to discuss the proposed retirement age increase and the Association’s response, was attended by several senior members of the legal profession, including Lal Wijenayake, Udaya Gammanpila, President’s Counsels Upul Jayasuriya, M A Sumanthiran and M U M Ali Sabry.

Meanwhile, Amarasuriya said that Nanayakkara had informed them that he would brief President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on the former's concerns. Speaking to the media after the meeting yesterday, Amarasuriya added that the Association had stressed the need for the President to be informed of its concerns. In response, he said that Nanayakkara informed them that he would convey the Association's representations to President Dissanayake and then communicate the Government's decision.

On Tuesday (28), the Cabinet approved a proposal to increase the statutory retirement age of judges across all levels of the Judiciary by two years. Under the proposal, the retirement age of Supreme Court Judges will increase from 65 to 67 years, Court of Appeal Judges from 63 to 65 years, High Court Judges from 61 to 63 years, and District Court and Magistrate’s Court Judges from 60 to 62 years.