According to the latest figures presented during the session, the judicial system is grappling with an astounding backlog of 1,131,818 cases. The Supreme Court currently has 5,785 pending cases, while the Court of Appeal is dealing with 4,572. The High Court, which handles criminal cases, is managing 6,286 cases, with the Commercial High Court burdened with 6,146. The Special Three-Judge High Court has just three pending cases, but the general High Court faces 27,324. Meanwhile, District Courts are inundated with 262,665 cases, and the Juvenile Magistrate’s Court is handling 1,260 cases.

Officials from the Sri Lanka Judges’ Institute (SLJI) confirmed that efforts to streamline the judicial process are already underway, including a training programme aimed at improving efficiency among judges. However, with the impending retirement of these highly experienced Solicitors General, concerns persist about how the system will cope with the demand for legal expertise in managing complex cases.

The session also examined the workload of the Attorney General’s Department, which currently has approximately 70 Senior State Counsels assigned to the Criminal Division to manage cases referred by Police divisions across the country. Officials stressed that handling such cases requires extensive experience and legal acumen, with seniority playing a crucial role in tackling complex matters.

Minister Nanayakkara assured that the Government is committed to taking necessary measures to ensure that the department continues to function efficiently despite these imminent retirements. However, MPs and officials in attendance underscored the urgent need for comprehensive reforms to address systemic delays within the judicial framework.

The meeting was attended by Deputy Minister of National Integration Muneer Mulaffer, Committee members, MPs, and officials from the Ministry of Justice and National Integration, who collectively emphasised the importance of strengthening the legal sector to uphold the country’s justice system.