Monday Dec 22, 2025
Monday Dec 22, 2025
Monday, 22 December 2025 05:30 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Annual Conference of Judicial Officers 2025 commenced on Saturday (20) gathering over 200 Magistrates and District Court Judges from across the nation. This year’s conference focuses on the timely theme, ‘Advancing Judicial Efficiency and Effectiveness in the Digital Era’, a topic of urgent relevance as the country rebuilds and adapts in the wake of the disaster. The commitment of Sri Lanka’s judicial leadership to harness technology for addressing critical gaps in the justice system has never been more vital, especially as communities and institutions work together to overcome the aftermath of Cyclone Ditwah.
The opening ceremony was attended by distinguished guests including Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena; Members of the Judicial Service Commission Justice Mahinda Samayawardhena and Justice S. Thurairajah; High Commission of Canada Charge’ d’ Affaires Kiril Iordanov and UNDP Sri Lanka Resident Representative Azusa Kubota. Key resource persons for the conference includes the Former Chief Justice of India Dr. Dhananjaya Chandrachud, Singapore High Court Justice Aidan Xu, CIABOC Director General Judge Ranga Dissanayake.
The two-day conference addressed key priorities, including the integration of digital solutions to enhance judicial processes with the aim of increasing access to justice for vulnerable victims including victim survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and the role of the Judiciary in combating corruption—initiatives made possible through UNDP’s ongoing collaboration with the Government of Canada and anti-corruption efforts supported by the Government of Japan. Together, these efforts signal a decisive step towards a more resilient, effective, and inclusive justice system for all Sri Lankans.
