The government's rushed attempt to pass the 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill extending judicial retirement ages has sparked a deep national crisis and triggered serious legal challenges.
National People's Power (NPP) leadership council member and convenor of the 'Lawyers for Democracy', senior attorney Lal Wijenayake made these observations in a special statement following the filing of several Supreme Court petitions against the proposed legislation.
Challenging the bill in the apex court, the petitioners requested a ruling that mandatory approval via a public referendum is required before any such constitutional amendment can be enacted.
Wijenayake asserted that maintaining unchanged terms of service, including retirement limits, throughout a judge's tenure remains a foundational pillar for safeguarding judicial independence.
He stressed that compromising this principle deals a heavy blow to democratic structures, fundamental freedoms, and human rights.
Rejection of the government's official claim that the extension would accelerate court cases was central to his argument, as he described the rationale as false and warned that the move actively obstructs judicial functions.
He also noted that the public rights protected by courts are hard-won democratic victories rather than executive concessions, adding that framing the controversy as a standard party-political squabble misleads citizens who are ultimately fighting to preserve a civilised society for future generations.
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