MONETABRIEF – Sri Lanka’s parliament voted overwhelmingly on expected party lines to raise the mandatory retirement age for all judges by two years and push controversial judicial reforms opposed by the private bar and rival parties.

All ruling party MPs voted for the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution with 63 Opposition MPs voting against. Three MPs were absent.

New Democratic Front MPs -- Ravi Karunanayake and Faizer Musthapha –- and SJB MP Nayana Wasalathilaka were absent during the vote. MP Musthapha had proposed raising the retirement age of superior court judges way back in December.

MPs from the main opposition Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) wore black in protest against the two bills – one to amend the constitution and the other to amend the Judicature Act -- which seek to increase the number of judges and courts.

President Anura Kumara Dissanayake unveiled the measures last month as part of wider reforms, including the recruitment of 10,000 police officers, thousands of forensic technicians and court staff to speed up trials.

He has argued the changes are necessary to clear a backlog of 1.1 million cases. Criminal proceedings usually take nearly two decades, while civil cases can drag on for generations.

The influential Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) had opposed the bills as an attempt to influence the judiciary and called for a national referendum.

The Supreme Court, however, ruled a referendum unnecessary, saying a two-thirds majority – which the ruling party commands – was sufficient.

Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa accused the government of turning the judiciary into “a pawn of the executive”. “Attempting to control our country’s noble, free and independent judiciary through a constitutional conspiracy is a shameless and despicable act,” he told parliament.

Earlier, Premadasa led thousands of supporters in a protest outside the legislature, vowing to defeat the amendment “in the minds of the people” even if opposition MPs lacked the numbers to block it.

Several opposition parties have accused the current Chief Justice, Preethi Padman Surasena of bias towards the government – a claim the administration denies.

The judicial overhaul comes as authorities intensify corruption investigations involving former president Mahinda Rajapaksa and his family, who deny wrongdoing. (Colombo/Sept25/2026)

Two Gas Cylinder MPs -- Ravi Karunanayake and Faizer Musthapha – and SJB MP Nayana Wasalathilaka absent during today’s crucial vote on the 22nd Amendment to the Cosntitution and the Judicature Act. Musthapha had proposed the 22nd Amendment in December.