The government is drafting legislation that would allow certain individuals to serve prison sentences under house arrest, according to Cabinet officials. The proposal forms part of a broader judicial reform package aimed at addressing prison overcrowding and other systemic issues.
Sri Lanka is moving forward with legal reforms designed to permit eligible individuals to complete their sentences through house arrest rather than institutional imprisonment, Cabinet Spokesperson Minister Nalinda Jayatissa announced at the weekly Cabinet media briefing.
The legislative framework for the house arrest provision is currently under development, with officials engaged in drafting the necessary legal measures. Minister Jayatissa indicated that the proposal represents one component of a comprehensive judicial reform initiative being pursued by the government.
Beyond the house arrest measure, the broader reform agenda encompasses multiple areas aimed at improving the criminal justice system. These include strategies to reduce overcrowding within correctional facilities, accelerating turnaround times for reports issued by the Government Analyst's Department, and establishing mechanisms to grant bail to individuals who currently lack means to secure release. Additionally, the government is examining a separate proposal to increase the retirement age for judges as part of this wider reform framework.
The government has not yet specified which categories of offenders or sentence lengths would qualify for house arrest under the proposed legislation, nor has a timeline for implementation been announced. The reforms reflect growing pressure on Sri Lanka's prison system, which has faced persistent challenges related to capacity constraints.