The Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB) has submitted a proposal to the Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Jagath Wickramaratne requesting the appointment of a Parliamentary Select Committee to expedite the resolution of the backlog of cases.

According to data from the Ministry of Justice, approximately 1.1 million cases are currently pending within Sri Lanka’s judicial system. 

In response, a resolution initiated by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa was signed yesterday, calling for the appointment of a Special Parliamentary Committee to identify proposals to accelerate the legal process.

The resolution was signed by the SJB parliamentary group, led by Opposition Leader Sajith Premadasa.

Accordingly, a group of SJB MPs led by the Opposition Leader handed over the resolution to the Speaker of Parliament today.

Unfilled judicial vacancies, a shortage of legal officers at the Attorney General’s Department, and delays in obtaining reports from the Government Analyst’s Department and the Government Valuation Department have been identified as the main factors contributing to these delays.

Meanwhile, Minister of Justice and National Integration Harshana Nanayakkara has reportedly acknowledged in Parliament that the heavy workload and resulting delays at the Attorney General’s Department are also significant contributors to delays in the judicial process.

According to data from the Department of Prisons, although Sri Lanka’s prisons have the capacity to accommodate approximately 10,000 inmates, the current prison population exceeds 40,000. It has been highlighted that around 75 percent of inmates are suspects awaiting the conclusion of legal proceedings.

Accordingly, a request has been submitted to appoint a Parliamentary Select Committee under Standing Orders 100 to 110 to examine the causes behind the case backlog, recommend short-term, medium-term, and long-term solutions, and address the issue of prison overcrowding.