The Ministerial Consultative Committee on Justice and National Integration has raised serious concerns over the growing backlog of cases in the judicial system, which currently stands at 1,131,818 pending cases across courts.
The issue was discussed during the Committee’s first meeting of the Tenth Parliament held on 27 February 2025 at Parliament, chaired by the Minister of Justice and National Integration, Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara.
Officials informed the Committee that delays in delivering justice remain a significant challenge due to the overwhelming number of cases. According to the data presented, pending cases include 5,785 in the Supreme Court, 4,572 in the Court of Appeal, 6,286 in High Courts hearing criminal cases, 6,146 in Commercial High Courts, and 27,324 in general High Courts. District Courts account for the largest share with 262,665 cases, while Juvenile Magistrates’ Courts have 1,260 cases pending. Additional backlogs were reported across other courts, bringing the total to over 1.13 million cases.
Representatives from the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute noted that measures are currently underway to streamline judicial processes. These include training programmes aimed at improving efficiency and case management among judges.
Members of Parliament also highlighted delays within the Attorney General’s Department, identifying it as a key bottleneck in the justice system. Officials explained that approximately 70 Senior State Counsel are tasked with handling criminal cases from across the country, placing considerable strain on the department. They further emphasised that these roles require extensive experience and seniority, limiting the pool of qualified personnel.
Minister Nanayakkara acknowledged that concerns regarding workload and delays in the Attorney General’s Department have been ongoing. He pointed out that the number of legal officials remains inadequate in comparison to the volume of cases. The situation is expected to worsen, with around six Additional Solicitors General—each with nearly 30 years of experience—set to leave the department within the year.
Despite these challenges, the Minister stressed that the government is committed to ensuring the uninterrupted functioning of the Attorney General’s Department and is exploring necessary interventions to address staffing shortages and improve efficiency.
The meeting was attended by the Deputy Minister of National Integration, Muneer Mulaffer, Members of Parliament, and officials from the Ministry of Justice and National Integration.