The Government of Sri Lanka has concluded a research programme to digitise the judicial system, with implementation activities now underway, Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkaraannounced in Parliament on May 8. The initiative, which aims to modernize and streamline legal proceedings, is part of a wider strategy to clear the extensive backlog of court cases and ease the burden on the judicial system.
A Court Automation Committee, chaired by Justice Arjuna Obeysekera, has been appointed to spearhead the digitisation effort. Two court complexes—Negombo and Kandy—have been selected as initial implementation sites to expedite the project.
The judicial system currently faces a significant backlog, with 29,132 civil cases pending for 5 to 10 years and 17,271 cases pending for over 10 years. In response, the government is also reviving and expanding a previously stalled court expansion programme, originally halted during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Key highlights of the reform strategy include:
- Reactivation of court expansion based on the Mahinda Samayawardana Report, aimed at better demarcation of jurisdictions and manageable caseloads per judge.
- Establishment of more Small Claims Courts and Pre-Trial Courts, with new buildings under construction in Galle, Kantale, Matale, Nikawaratiya, Puttalam, Valachchenai, and Mahawa. Only two such courts currently exist in Kandy and Matara.
- Commercial High Courts have been increased to four, with a fifth to be established soon.
- Tourism Courts in seven areas—Medawachchiya, Kahatagasdigiliya, Nochchiyagama, Kalawanchikudi, Kalawana, Passara, and Narammala—have been elevated to Magistrates’ Courts.
- Additional courts set up include three High Courts (in Colombo, Kandy, and Anuradhapura), 12 District High Courts, two District Courts, and one Magistrate’s Court.
- The Model Courts initiative has expanded to 21 courthouses, with continued expansion underway.
- The government is also working to reduce litigation costs for the public, aiming to lessen the financial burden of legal proceedings.
Minister Nanayakkara emphasized that these reforms are designed to increase judicial efficiency, reduce case delays, and make justice more accessible and affordable for the public.
