(Sri Lanka Brief/ 23 August 2025 — The Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) has formally requested the Ministry of Public Security and Parliamentary Affairs to share the latest draft of the Non-Governmental Organisations (Registration and Supervision) Bill, citing its statutory mandate to advise on legislation affecting fundamental rights.
Although the initial request was submitted 16 months ago and followed up three weeks ago, the Commission has yet to receive a positive response..
On 30 July in a letter addressed to Ministry Secretary D.W.R.B. Seneviratne, HRCSL Chairman Justice L.T.B. Dehideniya emphasized that the Commission has yet to receive a copy of the current draft, despite earlier assurances from the National Secretariat for NGOs that it would be shared following legal clearance from the Attorney General’s Department.
The proposed legislation seeks to repeal the Voluntary Social Services Organisations Act No. 31 of 1980 and introduce a new framework for registration and oversight of NGOs operating in Sri Lanka.
Justice Dehideniya noted that under Section 10(c) of the Human Rights Commission Act No. 21 of 1996, the Commission is empowered to assist the government in drafting laws that promote and protect fundamental rights. He urged the Ministry to engage the Commission prior to gazetting, allowing for meaningful input during the drafting stage.
The letter also referenced the Commission’s prior engagement with the Online Safety Bill, where HRCSL’s recommendations were partially incorporated into committee-stage amendments. However, those inputs were only provided after the Bill was gazetted—an approach the Commission hopes to avoid in future legislative processes.
The HRCSL reiterated its readiness to review and comment on the current version of the NGO Bill and called for early and transparent consultation to ensure that the proposed law aligns with Sri Lanka’s constitutional and international human rights obligations.
The letter was also copied to Sanjeewa Wimalagunarathna, Director General of the National Secretariat for NGOs.
Read the lettter as a PDF: HRCSL-letter-to-Ministry-of-Public-Security-and-Parliamentary-Affairs-on-30th-July-2025 HRCSL-letter-to-Ministry-of-Public-Security-and-Parliamentary-Affairs-on-30th-July-2025