Supreme Court Determination on 22nd Amendment Reaches Speaker; Debate Set for Next Week

The Supreme Court's determination on the 22nd Constitutional Amendment has been officially submitted to the Speaker of Parliament. The government has assured the United Nations Human Rights Commission that the proposed changes, which include raising the retirement age for judges, will not impact judicial independence. This assurance was conveyed in response to an inquiry from the UN Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers. The Speaker is expected to present the Supreme Court's ruling to Parliament on September 22nd, with the second reading debate for the amendment scheduled for September 24th and 25th. Opposition party Samagi Jana Balawegaya has announced plans for a protest on September 24th against the amendment.