The Sri Lankan government is drafting new legislation that would enable courts to order house arrest for eligible suspects instead of sending them to remand prison, in a move aimed at addressing the country’s worsening prison overcrowding crisis.
Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara said the nation’s prison system, originally designed to accommodate approximately 10,500 inmates, is now holding close to 39,000 individuals. He highlighted that a major contributor to this situation is the large number of remand prisoners who have yet to be convicted.
According to the minister, around 28,000 inmates are currently being held on remand, including nearly 20,000 individuals detained over drug-related charges.
He explained that the proposed legal framework, being developed under the guidance of Yasantha Kodagoda, would allow judges to impose home detention in suitable cases, helping to reduce pressure on prison facilities.
The minister also pointed out that Sri Lanka lacks a formal system to review or reduce sentences for prisoners serving life imprisonment or facing capital punishment. To address this gap, a committee chaired by Justice Thurairaja has been tasked with examining options for introducing a sentence review and reduction mechanism for long-term inmates.
Nanayakkara further revealed that the country’s judicial system is currently handling around 1.1 million pending cases. However, he noted improvements in case resolution rates under the leadership of Chief Justice Murdu Fernando, along with plans to establish seven new courts. These include specialized courts to handle cases related to the Easter Sunday attacks and bribery allegations.
Addressing concerns about the recent shooting involving a lawyer and his wife in Akuregoda, the minister stated that there is no broader threat to legal professionals due to their court work and assured that justice would be pursued in the matter.
He also confirmed that the government intends to revise the proposed rent control legislation after receiving public feedback and will not proceed with the bill in its current form
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