Sri Lanka’s government proposes contentious judicial reform package

Sri Lanka's government has proposed a controversial package of judicial reforms aimed at tackling a massive case backlog and streamlining the criminal justice system. Two bills presented to parliament would boost the number of courthouses, create new appeals courts outside the capital, raise judges' retirement age by two years, and increase judicial staff. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake claims these measures will address staffing shortages across law enforcement and the courts.

The reforms have sparked criticism from lawyers and opposition parties who argue that they threaten judicial independence. The private bar association opposes the change to the retirement age, believing it is an attempt to prolong the tenure of Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, who is seen as close to Dissanayake's administration.

Dissanayake's government is also proposing constitutional amendments to expand the Court of Appeal and establish 10 new High Courts. They plan to hire 10,000 police constables and hundreds of court clerks.

The government sees this as part of a broader approach to overhaul the entire judicial process, from investigations to the judicial system. However, opposition parties accuse Surasena of bias towards the government's policy goals. The reforms require a two-thirds majority in parliament, which the government currently holds. The legislative process is expected to last about two months.

The judicial overhaul comes amid intensified anti-corruption investigations involving former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family, who have faced allegations of corruption and misuse of state funds. They deny any wrongdoing.