A doubt about Sajith's stance on the issue of judges' retirement age limits

The slow approach of Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa in the face of the President's political attempt to extend the retirement age of judges in the higher courts has drawn strong criticism from the Samagi Jana Balawegaya's (SJB) management committee. Due to the Opposition Leader not providing direct leadership against this political agenda of the government, serious doubts have arisen within the party itself as to whether there is a secret agreement between Mr. Anura Kumara Dissanayake and Mr. Sajith Premadasa.

At a recent meeting of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya's management committee, several senior members complained that the Opposition Leader's silence, even as government-friendly civil organizations and lawyers took to the streets against the President's influence on the judiciary, has become a serious disadvantage for the party.

In light of this situation, the management committee has decided that Samagi Jana Balawegaya lawyers should be immediately summoned to Colombo in their hundreds and thousands to organize protests. They also demand that Mr. Sajith Premadasa should lead by uniting all opposition forces against political interference in the judiciary. Committee members point out that suddenly amending the age limits of judges in the higher courts will lead to a breakdown of the entire legal system, and emphasize that this will block the professional opportunities and rights of talented, senior, and junior judges in the High Courts and District Courts to advance. The opposition had previously accused the government in Parliament of using this tactic to retain judges favorable to them and to make the courts flexible according to their political agendas.

Despite such strong pressure from within the party,

Mr. Sajith Premadasa has previously criticized this action of the government as an interference with the independence of the judiciary, both in Parliament and at public meetings. Meanwhile, the opposition has taken steps to call for a debate on the damage caused to the rule of law by not filling more than eight vacancies in the Supreme Court for over six months. Accordingly, opposition MPs have signed the relevant documents on June 26th and submitted them to the Speaker to present a full motion under Parliamentary Standing Order 83(1). However, the members of the Samagi Jana Balawegaya's management committee emphasize that the Opposition Leader should intervene more actively and proactively to defeat the President's political decision to extend the retirement age of judges in the higher courts.