The Sri Lanka Railway Station Masters’ Union has expressed its full support for the Bar Association of Sri Lanka’s (BASL) position on the proposed 22nd Amendment to the Constitution and for any lawful and constitutional measures taken by the association over the issue.
In a letter to the BASL president, the union said safeguarding judicial independence, the rule of law, the separation of powers and the sovereignty of the people was a responsibility of civil society as a whole and not of a single professional group.
The union said changes to the tenure or retirement age of superior court judges could not be treated as routine administrative amendments, warning that the manner and timing of such changes could affect public confidence in the independence of the judiciary.
It said measures aimed at addressing delays or efficiency issues within the judicial system should be implemented without undermining the judiciary’s institutional independence or public confidence.
The issue was not limited to the legal profession but concerned the rights of all citizens and democratic governance, the union said, pledging continued support for the BASL’s efforts to uphold an independent judiciary and the rule of law. (Newswire)