Thursday Aug 21, 2025
Thursday Aug 21, 2025
Wednesday, 14 May 2025 00:06 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Cabinet of Ministers last week approved appointing a technical
specialist committee to study the introduction of an independent Public Prosecutor’s Office in Sri Lanka. The committee will be chaired by Supreme Court Judge and President’s Advocate Yasantha Kodagoda.
The committee is tasked to study and report on the introduction of a new law for the establishment of such an office and to forward recommendations for the introduction of necessary amendments to existing laws when required.
The move is in line with a key proposal of the Government’s election manifesto, which calls for the creation of a Public Prosecutor’s Office independent of the Attorney General’s Department. The new office is intended to expedite the criminal justice process, reduce delays in legal proceedings, and improve transparency and public trust in the justice system.
“The establishment of this office is expected to play a significant role in enhancing the independence of prosecutions and addressing longstanding concerns over efficiency and impartiality in the criminal justice process,” Cabinet Spokesman and Minister Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said at the weekly post-Cabinet meeting media briefing last Thursday.
The proposed office would represent the Government in legal proceedings, while operating independently from existing State legal structures. Plans also include establishing regional sub-offices to strengthen legal accessibility and responsiveness across the country.
The decision follows recommendations made in the final report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Sri Lanka, presented in September 2024. The report highlighted the urgent need for an independent prosecutorial authority as part of broader efforts to reform the country’s justice system.
The proposal to this effect, submitted by Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, was approved by the Cabinet of Ministers last Wednesday.
