Cabinet Spokesman and Minister of Health and Mass Media Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said legal reforms are underway to introduce house arrest as an alternative to imprisonment, as part of measures aimed at easing overcrowding in Sri Lankan prisons.
Speaking at the weekly Cabinet press briefing yesterday, the Minister said discussions and legislative work are progressing on several fronts as part of broader judicial reforms.
He said measures are being considered to reduce prison overcrowding by expediting reports from the Government Analyst’s Department and reforming bail laws.
According to the Minister, some individuals remain in custody despite being eligible for bail because they are unable to fulfil relatively minor bail conditions. Reforms are therefore being considered to address such situations.
Legislation is also being drafted to allow certain suspects to serve their sentence period under house arrest instead of being held in prison, he said.
“The proposal to increase the retirement age of judges is also being considered within this broader framework of judicial reforms,” Minister Jayatissa added.
