New Framework Proposed For Fair And Transparent Presidential Pardons

COLOMBO (News 1st);A Cabinet committee report containing recommendations to establish a systematic, fair, and transparent mechanism for granting presidential pardons to prison inmates has been handed over to the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration, President’s Counsel Ayesha Jinasena.The Ministry of Justice stated that the report was handed over by the committee chairman, retired Supreme Court Judge S. Thurairaja, to the Ministry Secretary.The committee, chaired by retired Supreme Court Judge S. Thurairaja, was appointed by the Cabinet of Ministers on June 25, 2025.The objective of appointing the committee was to study relevant laws, ordinances, and judicial decisions, and to identify and address shortcomings in the existing administrative procedures within the prison sector while making recommendations for improvements.The Ministry of Justice stated that this initiative can be considered a key step in the government’s ongoing prison reforms aimed at reducing overcrowding in prisons, addressing shortcomings in inmate rehabilitation programmes, and developing a prison system aligned with international standards.The Ministry of Justice and National Integration will take necessary steps in the future to consider and implement these recommendations appropriately.