Sri Lanka, July 30 -- Deep concern and disappointment emerge regarding the cabinet decision to advance a constitutional amendment that alters the retirement age for appellate court judges. Warning signs indicate that such a legislative shift threatens public confidence and undermines the rule of law within the judicial framework.

Government justifications pointing toward backlog reduction fail to align with the reality of persistent, unexplained vacancies across appellate benches. Criticism targets the administration for pursuing ad hoc reforms instead of fulfilling earlier pledges to address fundamental constitutional overhauls, such as abolishing the executive presidency and strengthening institutional independence. Direct appeals urge...