The 22nd Constitutional Amendment Draft Bill and the Judicature (Amendment) Bill are scheduled to be presented to Parliament today (18).    

The Bills are expected to be presented by Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara at the commencement of the main business of Parliament.

A Bill must be presented to Parliament for its first reading one week after its Gazette notification is issued. Following this, a one-week period will be available to challenge the Bill before the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court is required to communicate its determination to the Speaker of Parliament within a period of between three and 21 days after considering the petitions.

If the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill is passed, the retirement age of Supreme Court judges will be increased from 65 to 67, while the retirement age of Court of Appeal judges will be increased from 63 to 65.

Meanwhile, if the Judicial Organization (Amendment) Bill is passed, the retirement age of judges serving in the High Courts, District Courts and Magistrates’ Courts will be increased to 62.

Meanwhile, the Opposition, led by the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB), has decided to raise objections today when the two Bills are presented for their first reading.

The decision was reportedly taken at an Opposition parliamentary group meeting held yesterday (17) evening.

It has also been proposed that petitions be filed challenging the two Bills and that a full bench comprising all 13 Supreme Court judges be appointed to hear the petitions.