The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has commenced a Special General Meeting to discuss the government's proposal to increase the retirement age of judges, a move that has sparked widespread debate within the legal community.
The meeting, currently being held at the BASL headquarters, is expected to focus on the legal profession's response to the government's decision to extend the retirement age of members of the judiciary.
A number of prominent legal figures are attending the meeting, including Senior Attorney Lal Wijenayake, Attorney Udaya Gammanpila, President's Counsel Ali Sabry, along with many other lawyers.
The government's proposal to increase the retirement age of judges has drawn strong opposition from the Judicial Service Association, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka, several President's Counsel, and a number of political parties, who have expressed concerns over its potential impact on the independence of the judiciary.
Despite the objections, the Cabinet of Ministers, chaired by the President, approved the proposal during its meeting held on July 27.
Meanwhile, the civil society group Dinana Dakuna Collective has stated that the latest Cabinet paper on extending judges' retirement age marks the beginning of a process that could undermine judicial independence.
The group further argued that although the government has presented the proposal as an administrative measure aimed at increasing the number of judges and expanding Court of Appeal sittings at the provincial level, it believes the move could allow the executive greater influence over the functioning of higher courts.
