22A, Judicature Amendment Bills passed with 2/3 majority

Yesterday, Parliament endorsed the Twenty-Second Amendment to the Constitution Bill and the Judicature (Amendment) Bill with a two-thirds majority, as reported by 158 MPs voting in favor and 63 against. The Illankai Tamil Arasu Kadchi (ITAK) and Sri Lanka Muslim Congress (SLMC) aligned with the SJB in opposition to the bills. Key NDF MPs Ravi Karunanayake and Faizer Musthapha, along with SJB Badulla District MP Nayana Wasalathilaka, were absent for the vote tally.

Following a two-day debate, the final Judicature (Amendment) Bill vote was declared at around 8:08 p.m. after opposition MPs initiated divisions on the bill's clauses during the Committee Stage. The votes came after the Supreme Court's determination on Tuesday (22), which informed Parliament that the 22nd Amendment Bill did not necessitate a referendum and could be ratified by a special two-thirds majority in Parliament.

The amendment seeks to increase the mandatory retirement age for Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and for Court of Appeal judges from 63 to 65. Additionally, it stipulates that the Chief Justice must retire at 67 or after six years in office, whichever comes sooner. The SJB, which opposed the legislation, witnessed its MPs marching in black attire to Parliament that day, staging a protest at Polduwa Junction, Battaramulla, under the slogan "No to 22, which destroys democracy", with Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa and several SJB politicians in attendance.