Justice Minister Attorney-at-Law Harshana Nanayakkara has reiterated that the government will move ahead with the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, including provisions to extend the retirement age of judges, while rejecting opposition claims that the reforms are designed to benefit a particular individual.
Speaking at a district convention in Badulla, Minister Nanayakkara said the government had no intention of backing down from its commitment to reform what he described as a judicial system that had been allowed to stagnate for decades.
The Minister said the judiciary had accumulated a backlog of approximately 1.1 million cases, following years of inadequate reforms. He stressed that strengthening the justice system and ensuring that individuals accused of corruption and fraud are brought before the law were among the government's key commitments.
According to Nanayakkara, retaining experienced judges is one component of the broader reforms being proposed. He acknowledged that simply increasing the retirement age would not, by itself, resolve the problems facing the justice system, but said the measure forms part of a wider package aimed at improving the administration of justice.
Responding to criticism that the proposed amendment was designed to benefit a specific individual, the Minister said the retirement-age extension would apply across the judicial system. He said the retirement age of Magistrates, District Judges, High Court judges and Supreme Court justices would be increased by two years.
“If we had only increased the age for Supreme Court judges or a selected few, then their argument would hold weight,” Nanayakkara said.
The Minister also challenged opposition calls to delay implementation of the amendment until after the tenure of Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena. He questioned why the amendment should be considered inappropriate if introduced now but acceptable if implemented at a later date.
Nanayakkara maintained that the government remains committed to its judicial reform agenda and said the public would begin to see tangible results in the administration of justice and action against fraudsters by the end of the year.
He stressed that the government would not retreat from its reform programme, saying that moving backwards was not in its nature.
However, opposition to the proposed amendment has also emerged from professional organizations. The Government Medical Officers’ Association (GMOA) and the Government Dental Surgeons' Association have announced that they intend to formally oppose the proposed 22nd Amendment.
