By The Pulseline News Desk
International pressure is mounting on the Sri Lankan Government over its controversial proposal to extend the retirement age of superior court judges, with France’s highest representative body for lawyers formally throwing its weight behind the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL).
The French National Bar Council (Conseil National des Barreaux – CNB), which represents the country’s legal profession, has adopted a resolution expressing full support for the BASL’s opposition to the proposed constitutional amendment, warning that the move risks undermining public confidence in judicial independence.
The resolution was adopted at the CNB’s Annual General Meeting in Paris in July, following discussions between its Committee on European and International Affairs and a delegation from the BASL.
Concerns over judicial independence
In its resolution, the CNB has echoed the BASL’s central argument that increasing the retirement age of serving Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges could create the perception that the Executive is attempting to influence the composition of the higher judiciary.
While acknowledging that retirement ages are ultimately a matter for national legislatures, the French legal body stressed that any change affecting sitting judges must be approached with extreme caution because of its potential impact on public confidence in the administration of justice.
The resolution reaffirmed that an independent and impartial judiciary remains one of the fundamental pillars of the rule of law and democratic governance.
International support expands
The CNB has also referenced the earlier intervention by the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association, which similarly expressed concern over the proposed constitutional amendment and endorsed the BASL’s position.
By aligning itself with both the BASL and the Commonwealth Lawyers’ Association, the French National Bar Council has added another influential international legal voice to the growing criticism of the Government’s proposal.
The resolution calls on the Sri Lankan authorities not to proceed with the constitutional amendment to increase the retirement age of judges and urges that any constitutional reform affecting the judiciary be preceded by meaningful consultation with all relevant stakeholders, in keeping with democratic principles and due process.
Pressure builds on Government
The latest intervention comes as the Government continues to defend its proposal, arguing that extending the retirement age would help retain experienced judges and strengthen the administration of justice.
However, the proposal has encountered sustained resistance from the legal community, with the BASL maintaining that constitutional changes affecting the tenure of sitting judges could weaken public confidence in the independence of the judiciary regardless of the Government’s stated intentions.
With international legal organisations now publicly endorsing that position, the debate has evolved beyond a domestic constitutional dispute into an issue attracting increasing international scrutiny.
The CNB concluded its resolution by calling on the Sri Lankan and French authorities, together with the wider international community, to remain vigilant in safeguarding judicial independence and the rule of law — principles it described as indispensable to any democratic society.
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