LAWASIA Raises Concerns Over Composition of Five-Judge Bench in Sri Lanka's 22nd Amendment Case

The Law Association for Asia and the Pacific, known as LAWASIA, has raised serious concerns regarding the constitution of the five-judge bench appointed to hear proceedings related to the 22nd Amendment to Sri Lanka's Constitution, calling for greater transparency in the process.

Transparency and Public Confidence at Stake

In a formal statement, LAWASIA emphasised that in court proceedings of exceptional constitutional significance, the manner in which a bench is constituted must be transparent, clearly discernible, and capable of sustaining public confidence in the judiciary as an institution.

The international legal body stressed that when matters of such profound constitutional importance are placed before the courts, the public has a legitimate expectation to understand and trust the process by which judges are selected to preside over those proceedings.

A Matter of Institutional Integrity

LAWASIA's intervention underscores growing international attention on Sri Lanka's judicial processes, particularly in cases that carry far-reaching implications for the country's constitutional framework and democratic governance.

The organisation's position reflects a broader principle upheld across legal systems in the Asia-Pacific region — that judicial transparency is not merely a procedural formality, but a cornerstone of the rule of law and the legitimacy of court outcomes.

Sri Lanka's legal community and civil society are expected to closely monitor further developments as the proceedings relating to the 22nd Amendment continue before the Supreme Court.