22nd Amendment faces do-or-die legal battle as 15 more petitioners prepare to challenge – LNW EXCLUSIVE
COLOMBO – The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution, tabled in Parliament yesterday by Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, is set to face a barrage of legal challenges with at least 15 more petitioners preparing to approach the Supreme Court in the coming days, LNW exclusively learns.
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka, Samagi Jana Balawegaya, Sarvajana Balaya, and three other interested parties have already petitioned against the amendment. Sources indicate that the number of challengers will grow significantly, with a minimum of 15 additional petitioners expected to seek judicial relief shortly.
Legal sources describe the mounting opposition as a “do or die battle” against the government’s proposal to extend the retirement age of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges.
In a significant development, sources indicate that a foreign power has been actively engaging with stakeholders opposed to the government’s move. Diplomatic circles in Colombo have noted the heightened interest from the external actor in the constitutional reform process, though no official comment has been forthcoming.
This development comes days after LNW exclusively reported that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake remained firm on proceeding with the amendment despite a cordial but resolute meeting with the BASL delegation at the Presidential Secretariat.
The President has consistently maintained that the extension of judicial retirement ages is in the broader public interest and forms part of a wider judicial reform programme.
With the tabling now complete and a full-scale legal battle expected, the 22nd Amendment has become the most contentious constitutional reform since the 21st Amendment. The coming weeks will determine whether the government’s resolve withstands the coordinated opposition from legal, political, and external actors.
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