Cabinet Spokesperson and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said that the government will not hold a referendum to implement its decision to extend the retirement age of judges, rejecting opposition claims that a public vote is constitutionally mandated.
Speaking at the weekly Cabinet media briefing at the Department of Government Information in Colombo on Tuesday (28), the Minister clarified that the Constitution contains no provisions requiring a referendum for the proposed statutory changes.
The announcement follows Cabinet approval for a legislative package submitted by the Minister of Justice and National Integration, which instructs the Legal Draftsman to prepare amendments to both the Constitution and the Judicature Act No. 2 of 1978.
Government officials explained that increasing the retirement age is necessary to retain experienced judicial officers as the state expands court infrastructure and establishes regional sittings for the Court of Appeal under Article 146 of the Constitution.
The reform plan also includes increasing the total bench count for both the Court of Appeal and provincial High Courts to tackle rising caseloads and eliminate systemic delays in criminal and civil appellate matters.
However, the decision directly clashes with the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), whose President Rajeev Amarasuriya recently asserted in a television interview that any constitutional modification to judicial tenures across all court levels must be submitted to a referendum.
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