Colombo courts complex will not be relocated - Justice Minister

Justice Minister Rauff Hakeem, met with the lawyers of the Colombo Magistrate's Court who were protesting under the assumption that the Colombo Magistrate's Courts complex would be relocated and assured them that there were no plans by the Ministry of Justice to relocate Colombo courts out of Hulftsdorp or sell the historic courts complex as alleged by them.

He informed them that there was a proposal to construct a new state of the art building in Hulftsdorp to accommodate several government institutions relating to the administration of justice, since the efficient administration of justice had been hampered due to the severe lack of space at the present premises.

The minister also assured the lawyers that he would take steps to appoint a committee headed by a judge of the Supreme Court, nominated by Her Ladyship the Chief Justice, the President of the Bar Association and a nominee of the minister to consider issues raised by different regional Bar Associations regarding the newly created jurisdictions, that were gazetted.