The government’s decision to allocate Rs. 150 million for the e-Court Project has reignited debate over whether digital reforms can realistically rescue Sri Lanka’s overstretched judicial system or whether they risk becoming another well-intentioned but under-executed initiative.
Approved by the Cabinet and funded through the Clean Sri Lanka Project, the allocation is intended to support the Judicial Service Commission in rolling out digital court services nationwide. The government has framed judicial digitalisation as a cornerstone of its reform agenda, closely tied to IMF-backed structural reforms scheduled under the 2026–2030 Public Investment Programme.
At the heart of the initiative is the expansion of systems already introduced at the Supreme Court, including a dedicated website and an electronic Case Management System? These tools are expected to be extended to lower courts, the Court of Appeal, and judicial training institutions, ultimately forming a unified national judicial data network.
Officials argue that such a network could address long-standing weaknesses in case tracking, data accessibility, and procedural transparency. Chronic delays have contributed to declining public trust and, in extreme cases, citizens resorting to extrajudicial measures due to frustration with prolonged legal battles.
The proposed e-Court model goes beyond basic digital filing. It envisions paperless processes, remote participation in hearings, and secure online access points known as Points of Presence (PoPs). These PoPs could be established at post offices, police stations, district secretariats, or other public institutions, allowing litigants and lawyers to participate in proceedings without physically attending distant courts.
Justice Ministry officials emphasise that this approach could significantly reduce travel costs, time wastage, and safety risks associated with long commutes. They note that a large proportion of court attendees currently appear only to receive administrative updates rather than participate in substantive hearings.
From a governance perspective, experts describe e-Court services as comparable to tele-working and business process outsourcing models, relying on computer-aided systems to capture, store, retrieve and analyse judicial data. If effectively implemented, these systems could improve performance monitoring and policy planning within the justice sector.
But scepticism remains. The Attorney General’s Department estimates that approximately 800,000 cases are pending across the system, including 95,000 unresolved matters and more than 100 high-profile cases. While special courts have been introduced to fast-track proceedings, critics warn that technology alone cannot overcome institutional inertia, capacity gaps, or resistance to change.
Without sustained funding, legal reforms, judicial training, and safeguards for data security and inclusivity, analysts caution that the Rs. 150 million investment may deliver only incremental gains. The success of the e-Court Project, they argue, will ultimately be measured not by websites launched or systems installed, but by whether ordinary citizens experience faster, fairer, and more accessible justice.
