Thursday Jul 16, 2026
Thursday Jul 16, 2026
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| Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa |
Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa on Tuesday said the Government has not reached a final decision on the proposal to increase the retirement age of judges.
Responding to questions at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing, he said the Cabinet had only held an initial discussion on the proposal and had requested further information from the Justice Ministry before making a decision.
He said several factors were considered during the discussion, including the growing backlog of Court cases, delays in the administration of justice, shortages of judicial officers, professional migration and increasing life expectancy.
“The Government has not yet announced its final position. The Cabinet of Ministers on Monday only held a preliminary discussion and requested more information via a report from the Justice Ministry,” Dr. Jayatissa said.
The proposed increase in the retirement age is being considered amid concerns over judicial capacity and delays in case resolution, with authorities examining whether retaining experienced judges for longer periods could help address existing pressures on the justice system.
He noted that different stakeholders had expressed varying views on the proposal and that these perspectives would also be considered before arriving at a final decision.
The Cabinet Spokesman also highlighted challenges in filling vacancies within the judiciary, despite ongoing efforts to recruit more judicial officers.
He said that although the Government had planned to recruit 50 Magistrates, only 33 candidates had been appointed due to a shortage of suitably qualified applicants.
