Category: Legal
Government Moves to Establish a Fair and Transparent Presidential Pardon System
The Ministry of Justice and National Integration has received a committee report recommending a more systematic, fair and transparent mechanism for granting presidential pardons to sentenced prison inmates, marking a key step in the government’s wider prison reform agenda. The report was formally handed over on Thursday (July 10) by retired Supreme Court Judge S. […]
Negombo Prison Temporarily Closed Following Emergency; Mahamodara and Old Bogambara Re-opened
Following an emergency incident on July 5 and 6, 2026, that left Negombo Prison severely damaged, the Ministry of Justice and National Integration has declared the site a crime scene and ordered its temporary closure. To facilitate ongoing investigations and subsequent renovations, inmates have been transferred to other facilities. To manage the resulting population shift […]
UN Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture Concludes Second Visit to Sri Lanka
The United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture (SPT) concluded its second visit to Sri Lanka on 24 June 2026. The visit took place from 15 to 24 June 2026. During the visit, the four-member delegation of the SPT met the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath, and the Minister of […]
Rangita De Silva De Alwis Re-elected to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women
Sri Lanka’s candidate Professor Rangita De Silva De Alwis was re-elected to the UN Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW) for a second consecutive term, 2027-2030, at the elections conducted during the 24th Meeting of the State Parties to the CEDAW Convention at the United Nations in New York on […]
Law Association for Asia & Pacific Sounds Alarm Over Proposed Changes to Sri Lankan Judicial Retirement Age
LAWASIA, the Law Association for Asia and the Pacific, has officially voiced grave concerns over the Sri Lankan government’s proposed constitutional amendment aimed at extending the retirement age of Supreme Court and Court of Appeal judges. In a formal statement released on June 26, 2026, the regional legal body warned that the ad hoc initiative […]
BASL Clarifies: No Official Representation Authorized for Arrested Lawyer
The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has officially distanced itself from recent media reports suggesting it made legal representations on behalf of an attorney-at-law arrested by bribery investigators. In a clarification statement issued today, June 26, 2026, the BASL addressed reports surrounding a case at the Chief Magistrate’s Court of Colombo, where a lawyer […]
Memorandum of Understanding MOU Signing Ceremony between the Office on Missing Persons and the Bureau of Rehabilitation
The Office on Missing Persons (OMP) and the Bureau of Rehabilitation (BOR) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on 24 June 2026 to strengthen institutional cooperation in matters relating to missing persons. The OMP has previously entered into Memoranda of Understanding with several key state and international institutions, including the Human Rights Commission of Sri […]
An investigation is being carried out with regard to the activities of Kasagala Green Plantation, says CBSL
The Central Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) has announced that it is conducting an investigation into the activities of Kasagala Green Plantation (Private) Limited (KGPL) under the provisions of the Finance Business Act, No. 42 of 2011 (FBA). This follows public statements made by Malwattage Ranjith Nandana Pieris, Director of KGPL, during an appearance on […]
Justice Ministry Warns Against Coroner Bribes; Public Urged to Report Misconduct
The Ministry of Justice and National Integration has issued a strong reminder to the public that coroners are appointed under Section 108 of the Code of Criminal Procedure to facilitate the judicial process and provide a dignified service to families of the deceased. Coroners serve in an honorary capacity and are expected to provide their […]
Sri Lanka ratifies the ILO Convention on Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190)
On 16 April 2026, the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka deposited the instrument of ratification of the Violence and Harassment Convention, 2019 (No. 190) with the International Labour Office. Sri Lanka is the 55th Member State of the International Labour Organization to ratify Convention No.190 In depositing the instrument of ratification, the Permanent Representative of […]
Supreme Court held its first-ever paperless hearing; leads digital transformation with e-Filing initiative
The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka has marked a significant milestone in its digital transformation with the implementation of its e-Filing Portal under the e-Courts Project. This initiative reflects the Court’s ongoing commitment to modernizing Judicial processes and enhancing the delivery of Justice through the use of technology. The e-Filing Portal was officially opened to […]
Rs. 952 Million Recovered from Decades-Old Court Productions in Landmark Cleanup
For decades, Magistrates’ Courts and High Courts across Sri Lanka were overwhelmed with vast quantities of case productions, items seized by the police and other government authorities in connection with legal proceedings. Once taken into custody, these items were invariably handed over to the courts, which were then responsible for their safekeeping. The range of […]