Cabinet Spokesman Minister Nalinda Jayatissa today (11) confirmed that President Anura Kumara Dissanayake has received a letter from the Chief Prelates of the three main Buddhist chapters expressing concerns over the proposed constitutional amendment to extend the retirement age of judges.

Speaking at the weekly Cabinet media briefing held at the Department of Government Information, Minister Jayatissa said he and the Minister of Justice had met the Chief Prelates and provided clarification on the matters raised in the letter before the proposed 22nd Constitutional Amendment and amendments to the Judicature Act were submitted to the Cabinet of Ministers.

He said the government had presented its position to the Chief Prelates of the Malwathu, Asgiri and Ramanna chapters, with the intention of explaining the proposed amendments before they were brought before the Cabinet.

“We presented the relevant matters to the Chief Prelates of the Malwathu, Asgiri and Ramanna Nikayas,” Minister Jayatissa said.

The Minister’s remarks come after he said at a Cabinet media briefing on August 4 that he was not aware at the time of the letter reportedly sent by the three Chief Prelates to the President.

At the last week’s Cabinet media briefing, Minister Jayatissa had also said that he and the Justice Minister had met the Chief Prelates on August 3 and briefed them on the proposed 22nd Constitutional Amendment.

The latest confirmation indicates that the letter from the Chief Prelates has since been acknowledged as having been received by the President, while the government has also engaged with the prelates regarding the concerns raised over the proposed judicial reforms.