Minister of Justice Harshana Nanayakkara says he has been instructed to prepare a Cabinet paper on a proposal to extend the retirement age of superior court judges.

According to the Justice Minister, the necessary steps are currently being taken to draft the Cabinet paper.

Speculation has recently emerged that the government is considering extending the retirement age of superior court judges. Responding to an inquiry by Ada Derana, Justice Minister Nanayakkara confirmed that he had received instructions to prepare a Cabinet paper on the matter.

Meanwhile, Cabinet Spokesman Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa stated that the Cabinet is prepared to discuss the proposal if it is formally presented.

He noted that court cases in Sri Lanka often take a considerable amount of time to conclude, highlighting the need to strengthen the judicial system. 

According to the Minister, expanding the number of courts and increasing the number of judges are widely recognized as necessary measures to address case backlogs.

He added that while the government is already taking steps to recruit more judges, there has also been a request from within the judiciary to extend the retirement age of serving judges.

Minister Jayatissa further pointed out that although the number of judges in the Supreme Court and Court of Appeal had previously been increased, the retirement age had not been revised at the same time, despite such adjustments typically being made together.