Sri Lanka, July 29 -- The Lawyers for Public Mandate (LPM) organisation said politicians facing pending corruption cases are behind efforts to brand the proposed judiciary reform Bill as a threat to judicial independence, after the Cabinet approved a proposal to raise the retirement age of judges, describing it as part of the Government's mandate on judicial reform.
Attorney Akalanka Ukwatta told at the media briefing that the amendment would raise the Supreme Court judges from 65 to 67 and Court of Appeal judges' retirement age from 63 to 65.
The Chief Justice's tenure would be topped at 67 or six years from appointment, which ever comes first. He also said that High Court judges' retirement age would rise from 61 to 63, while Magistrate...