Govt. trying to dupe UN Rapporteur?
Saturday 29th August, 2026 The JVP-NPP government has responded to UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite’s statement on its move to increase the retirement ages of judges, according to media reports. It has reportedly sought to justify its controversial move by repeating the same old arguments in defence of […]
In a recent development concerning the proposed constitutional amendment 22A, the Sri Lankan government is facing criticism from the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Margaret Satterthwaite. The government has attempted to justify its move to increase the retirement ages of judges by claiming it is part of a broader strategy to expedite case disposal and clear a massive case backlog. However, Satterthwaite has warned that this proposed amendment could undermine judicial independence.
Satterthwaite's warning has resonated with other international organizations, including the International Association of Judges, the Commonwealth Lawyers Association, LAWASIA, and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), which have all endorsed her position. The government's response, however, has been criticized for muddying the waters.
It initially aimed to raise the retirement ages of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges but faced significant criticism, leading the government to attempt to mask its true intentions by proposing to extend the retirement ages of all judges.
Despite the apparent resistance from the public, the government has pushed forward with a Judicature (Amendment) Bill aimed at increasing the retirement ages of High Court judges, District Court judges, and Magistrates. While this bill has not faced as much opposition, it still raises concerns about conflict of interest for incumbent judges who would be hearing petitions challenging the amendment.
Legal professionals have warned that the proposed amendment, 22A, will likely lead to a conflict of interest and urged for a referendum as mandated by Article 3.
The government's attempts to shift the battle over 22A to the political front have been unsuccessful, as the issue has now been internationalized. The hearing of petitions against 22A will be under intense international scrutiny, and the government may be able to fool some people in the country with its arguments but cannot deceive the discerning public and the international community.
Written by urgent.news from The Island Sri Lanka's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
