Pending civil cases to be heard in provincial High Courts

Sandasen MARASINGHE

COLOMBO: A golden page of the Sri Lankan Judiciary was turned last week when the Provincial High Courts (Special Provinces) (Amendment) Act passed unanimously by the House, said Justice and Judicial Reforms Deputy Minister Dilan Perera at a press conference held at the ministry.

Deputy Minister stated that under the provisions of the new Act the backlog of the civil cases pending before the Court of Appeal will be directed to the Provincial High Courts islandwide.

He stated that a case that was filed before the Court of Appeal in 2006 would get the first calling date probably in 2015.

The cases that were filed as far back as in 1994 were being heard presently before the Court of Appeal and completing at a rate of nearly 300 a year.

The rate of the cases that were filed before the Court of appeal is approximately 1000 a year and already there was a backlog of 15000 cases before the Court of Appeal.

Minister also said that the attempts that were taken to solve the problem of the backlog of cases earlier with the proposed 18th amendment by decentralising the Court of Appeal was proved a failure as it could not secure the two third majority in the Parliament due to various reasons.

Minister Dilan Perera continued that after it was a failure as another means this bill was presented to the Parliament.

The cases directed from the Court of Appeal would be heard before a bench comprising a minimum of two High Court Judges. Now there were 40 High Court Judges and steps were being taken to increase the number of High Court Judges to sixty.

Secretary to the Justice and Judicial Reforms Ministry Suhada Gamlath said that although there were functioning 32 High Courts in the country another four High Court were established during 2006 in Welikada, Puttalam, Embilipitiya and Polonnaruwa.

Another six High Courts would be completed next year in Monaragala, Nuwaraeliya, Homagama, Tangalla, Dambulla and Mount Lavinia. The burden on the High Court would be eased with the establishment of these courts and the intake of the High Court Judges.

Assistant Secretary to the Ministry A. K. Arandara also addressed the press conference.