To clear backlog of cases:

Five new judicial zones

The Justice and Law Reforms Ministry will shortly issue a Gazette Notification to set up five new judicial zones establishing five new High Courts, 14 District Courts and 21 new Magistrate Courts and 10 new Circuit Courts revamping the administration of justice to clear the backlog of cases pending for years, a Justice and Law Reforms Ministry spokesman said yesterday.

The Ministry is making these changes almost after three decades, based on the findings of the Cabinet appointed De-limitation Committee on Judicial Zones headed by former Supreme Court Judge Nissanka Udalagama. The Committee was set up in September 2006.

Justice and Law Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda will shortly gazette the re-demarcation of the judicial zones and the setting up of the new High Courts, District Courts and Magistrate Courts in terms of the judicial powers vested in him under Section 3 of the Judicature Act 1978.

According to the Ministry a special gazette notification will be put out on November 1 to notify the public of the changes.

The five High Courts will be set up in Kilinochchi, Tangalle, Matale, Nuwara Eliya and Kuliyapitiya.

At present the 27 High Courts are functioning in the country in the form of Provincial High Courts, Civil Appeal Courts and High Courts functioning in Prisons. "With the establishment of the five new High Courts the number of High Courts will be increased to 32," the spokesman added.

The establishment of the Kilinochchi High Court would help the people in the North to attend to their court cases easily.

New District Courts will be set up in Baddegama, Morawaka, Teldeniya, Dambulla, Walapane, Kebetigollewa, Kekirawa, Hingurakgoda, Mahiyanganaya, Valaichchenai, Muttur, Kilinochchi, Mullaitivu and Minuwangoda.

The proposed 21 new Magistrate's Courts will be set up in Udugama, Deiyandara, Angunakolapelessa, Galagedara, Naula, Walapane, Hingurakgoda, Passara, Mahiyanganaya, Siyambalanduwa, Nikaweratiya, Polgahawela, Anamaduwa, Mirigama, Mahara, Ja-ela, Kolonnawa, Beruwala, Lahugala, Kilinochchi and Mullaitivu.

In addition to this, 10 new circuit courts will be set up in Kotmale, Padaviya, Bakamuna, Haldummulla, Thanamalwila, Agalawatta, Panama, Kuchchaveli, Velanai and Hanguranketha.

Based on the recommendation of the committee, the final maps of the judicial zones and an infrastructural development plan have been finalized by the Justice and Law Reforms Ministry.

The De-limitation Committee has made recommendations for the establishment of these new Courts examining the nature of court cases pending before the courts and the distance people have to travel from their respective villages to attend court.

The Justice Ministry is making these changes in the judicial administration after 30 years. It was in 1978, the Government sought to change the judicial zones after research findings.

Again in 1992 a committee for De-limitation on Judicial Zones was set up, but the committee report was not implemented, the spokesman added.