Opposition MPs turn Parliament black ahead of 22nd Amendment vote

By The Pulseline News Desk

Opposition MPs arrived in Parliament dressed in black today (25), signaling their opposition to the Government’s proposed 22^nd Amendment to the Constitution, as lawmakers prepared for a decisive vote on the controversial legislation.

The coordinated display came as Parliament was scheduled to take up the proposed amendment for a vote, following days of intense political and legal debate over provisions affecting the retirement age of judges of the superior courts.

A number of Opposition lawmakers appeared in Parliament wearing black attire, turning the colour into a visible symbol of their protest against the proposed constitutional changes.

The move follows mounting criticism from Opposition parties, the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) and other sections of civil society, particularly over provisions that would extend the retirement age of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges.

The Government, however, has maintained that the proposed reforms are intended to address delays in the administration of justice and strengthen the efficiency of the judicial system, rejecting claims that the amendment is designed to interfere with judicial independence.

Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara told Parliament on Thursday (24) that the proposed 22^nd Amendment was not intended to control or suppress anyone, but was aimed at speeding up the hearing of cases and ensuring justice is delivered to the public.

The legislation has also faced a major legal challenge, with dozens of petitions filed before the Supreme Court questioning its constitutionality. A five-member Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, heard the petitions earlier this month.

The dispute has placed judicial independence, the separation of powers and the future composition of the superior courts at the centre of a wider political debate.

With Parliament now preparing to vote, the Opposition’s black-clad presence has added a highly visible political dimension to a vote that has already emerged as one of the Government’s most closely watched legislative tests since taking office.