BASL to take judicial retirement age concerns to Justice Minister

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka is planning to take the protest against the government proposal to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges directly to the Justice Minister.
BASL leader Rajeev Amarasuriya announced this plan following a special general meeting at the Colombo office, drawing over 3,500 attorneys participating both in person and via Zoom technology.
The administration advanced this initiative without any prior consultation with the legal body, constituting a direct blow to judicial independence and undue influence on the courts.
Despite two months of resistance from the association, the government failed to provide an opportunity for discussion until now.
Alternative proposals addressing longstanding systemic issues within the judicial framework over the past two to three decades were compiled into a formal document for presentation during the ministerial discussion.
The association emphasised that unconsidered decisions of this nature place Supreme Court judges in awkward positions and demand immediate halts or a potential public referendum due to severe long-term consequences for the legal system.
Unanimous consensus from the general membership empowers the legal community to take stronger actions moving forward in defence of judicial independence, regardless of external pressure or criticism.
Additional statements opposing the contested resolution were delivered to the media by attorneys Maithri Gunaratne, Dayasiri Jayasekera, and Madura Vithanage following the conclusion of the general meeting.