.svg)
The Sri Lankan government has rejected concerns from a UN Special Rapporteur that proposed changes to judges’ retirement ages could affect judicial independence.
Mariyam Adheela
Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake -- Photo Sri lanka Mirror
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka has defended proposed judicial reforms that would increase the retirement ages of judges, saying the changes are intended to address case backlogs, improve access to justice and retain judicial expertise.
In a six-page response to the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, the government said the proposed 22nd Amendment is not intended to extend the tenure of specific judges or influence the composition of the judiciary.
The amendment proposes raising the retirement age of Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65. A separate bill would increase the retirement age of High Court judges from 61 to 63.
The government also defended applying the changes to serving judges, saying excluding them would undermine efforts to retain experienced judicial officers.
The response followed concerns raised by UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers Margaret Satterthwaite over judicial independence, separation of powers and public confidence.
Several petitions challenging the proposed legislation have been filed before Sri Lanka’s Supreme Court. The government said it would respect the court’s decision.
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka has also opposed the proposed changes, citing concerns over judicial independence.
