The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) is holding a Special General Meeting today at its headquarters in Colombo to discuss the proposed increase in the retirement age of judges.
Several senior members of the legal fraternity have reportedly attended the meeting.
The meeting was convened to consider the government’s proposal to amend the retirement age of judges and to determine the association’s response, following the Cabinet of Ministers’ announcement yesterday that a proposal to raise the constitutionally prescribed retirement age of judges had been approved.
The government said the decision comes as part of a wider reform package aimed at making judicial proceedings more efficient and orderly.
However, BASL President Rajeev Amarasuriya had previously said that the discussion is not about any individual judge but concerns the independence of the judiciary, constitutional principles and maintaining public confidence in the justice system.
He said any fundamental constitutional changes should be introduced through a transparent process with broad public and stakeholder consultation.
“With greatest respect to everyone I say this, according to my understanding, no Lawyer worth his or her salt can ever back this Government Proposal, if doing so, then it will be only because of a political ideology or to receive some benefit. We will do what we have to protect the Constitutions of our Country and the BASL,” Amarasuriya said in a Facebook post. (Newswire)
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