Attorney General C.R. de Silva Friday tendered his retirement papers with effect from October 8 although he had been extended beyond the age of 60-years till February next year by President Mahinda Rajapaksa.

De Silva said yesterday that he submitted his papers because his extension has been challenged and he believed that it was not in the interest of the office he holds for him to be at the center of a controversy.

``I will be reverting to the private bar,’’ he said.

Legal circles expressed the view that de Siva was acting very properly and honourably.

A fundamental rights petition filed by the Center for Policy Alternatives and its legal director, Mr. Rohan Edirisinha, challenging the gazette notification enabling the president to extend the age of compulsory retirement of any public officer appointed by him if he considered it necessary, is due to be taken up in the Supreme Court on Monday.

Legal circles were keenly watching the outcome of this case particularly in the context of remarks that have been made in the course of the proceedings when leave to appeal was granted last Monday.

Edirisinha said yesterday that the CPA was concerned about this issue as a matter of principle and the petition was not directed against any individual. The regulation gave the president the discretion to extend the date of retirement of any public servant where the president thought it expedient.