A National MP wants to raise the age for mandatory jury duty. 

Under current legislation, the court registrar must excuse anyone over the age of 65 who's been summoned for jury service if they request it.

Whanganui MP Carl Bates has had his Member's Bill drawn today - proposing to raise automatic excusal from jury duty from 65 to 72.

He says this would update a very old law. 

"There's been a big shift in societal expectations and the way we work - and I trust our seniors to be able to fulfil jury duty."

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