Full Breakdown
Sri Lanka Cabinet Approves Judicial Tenure Extension
8/4/2026, 8:57:13 PM
Cabinet Approval of Judicial Tenure Extension
On August 4, Sri Lanka’s cabinet approved a 22nd constitutional amendment that would extend the tenure of Supreme Court, Appeals Court, High Court judges and the Chief Justice by two years. A separate draft bill, also cleared by the cabinet, proposes the same two-year extension for district and magistrate judges.
Legal Backlog and Prison Crisis
The government links the amendment to a broader effort to alleviate a massive case backlog—more than 1.1 million pending lawsuits that often require 12 to 20 years to resolve. Delayed proceedings have strained the prison system, where facilities built for roughly 11,000 inmates now house over 41,000 prisoners, a situation that contributed to recent riots that killed 31 people.
Data & Statistics
- Current retirement ages: Supreme Court 65, Appeals Court 63, High Court 61.
- Pending court cases: >1.1 million.
- Prison capacity vs. actual population: 11,000 vs. 41,000+.
Official Statements & Responses
- “The aim is to increase the efficiency of cases being heard and provide relief to the public, who often have to wait 12 or 20 years,” — Nalinda Jayatissa, health minister
- Harshana Nanayakkara, justice minister, noted that many countries allow judges to serve until around age 70, but Sri Lanka does not intend to raise the retirement age that high. He emphasized that the change “does not undermine judicial independence” and that the government is reviewing judges’ salaries and allowances as part of the budget process.
- The justice ministry also indicated a plan to increase the overall number of courts and judges to further reduce delays.
Opposition from Politicians and Buddhist Clergy
- Rajeev Amarasuriya, president of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), reported that chief prelates of the three Buddhist sects sent a letter to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake labeling the amendment “inappropriate” and asserting that the government “has no moral right” to proceed.
- Ven. Thibbotuwawe Sri Siddhartha Sumangala Thera, chief prelate of the Malwathu Chapter (Siam Sect), argued that extending judges’ retirement ages should be matched by similar extensions for other senior officials, such as Divisional and District Secretaries.
- The main opposition party, Samagi Jana Balawegaya, called for a special parliamentary select committee to devise procedural measures aimed at faster case resolution.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
The Secretary of the Supreme Sangha Council of the Asgiri Chapter, **Ven.
What’s Next
The constitutional amendment must still pass parliamentary approval and receive presidential assent before taking effect. No specific timeline for these steps is provided in the available reports.
