Four additional petitions challenging the constitutionality of the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution have been filed before the Supreme Court, Speaker Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne announced in Parliament today.
The announcement brings the total number of challenges lodged against the legislation to at least seven.
Speaker Wickramaratne had previously informed the House yesterday that three petitions against the 22nd Amendment and a separate challenge regarding the Judicature Amendment Bill had been received.
Presented to Parliament on 18 August by Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, the 22nd Amendment proposes structural alterations to the judiciary.
Key provisions seek to change the retirement ages of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges, alongside restructuring the composition of the Court of Appeal.
The petitions have been submitted under Article 121(1) of the Constitution, which grants citizens and organisations the legal right to challenge a bill's constitutionality prior to its passage.
The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka is bound to communicate its determination to the Speaker within the constitutionally mandated timeframe.
Growing legal opposition
The draft legislation has generated intense legal and political friction.
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has officially challenged the draft law before the apex court, urging that its constitutionality be evaluated by a full bench.
The government maintains that it will abide by the Supreme Court’s eventual ruling, expressing readiness to secure a special parliamentary majority or hold a national referendum if deemed necessary by the judiciary.
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