Sri Lankan opposition rallies against government’s proposed judicial reform
Summary
Hundreds of people including opposition lawmakers protested in Colombo, Sri Lanka, against a new government bill that would add more judges to top courts and extend judges’ retirement age. The opposition says this bill could weaken the independence of the courts, while the government says it will help reduce court delays and protect judicial independence.Key Facts
- The protest took place in Colombo, Sri Lanka’s capital, on September 3, 2026.
- The bill was introduced by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake's government in Parliament.
- The bill proposes increasing the retirement age of top judges by two years.
- It also proposes adding more judges to the highest courts.
- Opposition leaders and activists say the bill aims to control the judiciary and lacks consultation with judges or lawyers.
- The government argues the bill is meant to improve court efficiency, not affect judicial independence.
- The ruling party has more than two-thirds control in Parliament but no debate date is set for the bill yet.
- President Dissanayake and his party won elections in 2024 after a severe economic crisis in 2022 blamed on past government failures.
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