Sri Lanka, July 26 -- Government attention was focused on raising the retirement age limit of judges to control the heavy backlog of cases existing within the court system and provide prompt relief to the people, Health and Mass Media Minister Nalinda Jayatissa said.

Expressing views to the media, the Minister stated that the government promised through its election manifesto to free people from the distress they faced due to the backlog of cases in courts, and expanding the court system was essential to fulfil that promise.

Explaining the reasonable grounds existing regarding raising the retirement age of judges, the Minister also stated as follows.

"When deciding the retirement age of judges in 1978, the expected life expectancy at b...