22A is about faster justice, not controlling anyone, Justice Minister tells Parliament

By The Pulseline News Desk

Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara today (24) rejected claims that the Government’s proposed 22^nd Amendment to the Constitution is intended to exert control over the judiciary, saying the reforms are aimed at speeding up the hearing of cases and ensuring timely justice for the public.

Opening the parliamentary debate on the 22^nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill and the Judicature (Amendment) Bill, Nanayakkara said the two measures should be viewed as part of a broader judicial reform programme initiated by the Government in 2024.

“We are not bringing this amendment to be authoritative or to control or suppress. This is to quickly hear cases and provide justice to the people,” he told Parliament.

The Minister said the proposed changes were not being introduced as isolated measures, but formed part of a wider effort to reform the country’s judicial process in line with commitments made to the public and the mandate received by the Government.

Referring to the Government’s policy statement, A Thriving Nation – A Beautiful Life, Nanayakkara said the administration had identified several key principles for the functioning of the country’s legal and judicial systems.

These included equal and fair protection under the law, transparency and efficiency, judicial independence and restoring public confidence in the justice system.

“It is based on these principles that we promised the people that we would operate the judicial system. Today is a day when one part of that promise is being fulfilled, these two Bills,” he said.

The proposed constitutional amendment has, however, triggered strong opposition from sections of the legal profession, civil society and political parties, particularly over provisions relating to the retirement age of judges of the superior courts.

The Supreme Court recently heard dozens of petitions challenging the proposed amendment, with petitioners raising concerns over judicial independence, separation of powers and the constitutional implications of extending the tenure of sitting judges.

The debate in Parliament therefore comes amid heightened scrutiny of the Government’s judicial reform programme, with supporters arguing that changes are necessary to address delays and case backlogs, while critics have questioned whether the proposed constitutional changes could affect the independence of the judiciary.

Nanayakkara, meanwhile, said the Government would not abandon its reform programme because of opposition to the Bills.

“The Opposition can say whatever they want. We will continue this journey forward for the public,” he said.

The parliamentary debate began after the Justice Minister presented the 22^nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill and the Judicature (Amendment) Bill for their second reading this morning.

The Government has maintained that the proposed reforms are intended to strengthen the efficiency of the justice system, while the debate is expected to focus heavily on whether the measures achieve that objective without compromising the constitutional independence of the judiciary.