Cabinet approves study on Independent Prosecutor’s Office

The Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to appoint a technical specialist committee to study the establishment of an independent Public Prosecutor’s Office in Sri Lanka.

 

The committee will be chaired by Supreme Court Judge and President’s Counsel Yasantha Kodagoda. It has been tasked with examining the feasibility of introducing new legislation for the creation of the office, as well as recommending amendments to existing laws where necessary.

 

The current election manifesto has proposed to introduce a Public Prosecutor’s Office as a mechanism to prevent delays in the judicial system, to establish an independent public prosecutor’s office outside the Attorney General’s Department to hear cases on behalf of the government, and to establish sub-offices in the provinces. 

 

The initiative is intended to enhance the independence and transparency of the criminal justice system and improve public trust by expediting legal proceedings.

 

The move aligns with a recommendation made in the final report by the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on Sri Lanka, released in September 2024, which emphasised the urgent need to establish an independent prosecutorial authority.