Foreign Affairs Minister Vijitha Herath has stated that Sri Lanka's proposed judicial reforms, including extending judges' tenure, are aligned with recommendations from international human rights bodies addressing longstanding delays in the court system.
Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism Minister Vijitha Herath has responded to international concerns regarding Sri Lanka's judicial reforms, asserting that the Government has submitted a detailed explanation to the United Nations Human Rights Council on the matter. Speaking on a televised current affairs programme, the Minister confirmed that questions about the proposed extension of judges' service periods were raised by UN mechanisms and have since been addressed by the Government.
According to Herath, the judicial reforms currently being implemented are grounded in recommendations made by a UN Special Rapporteur who visited Sri Lanka in 2016 to investigate delays in court proceedings. That assessment resulted in multiple proposals aimed at strengthening the justice system, including increasing the number of courts, enhancing the Attorney General's Department, reducing delays in forensic reports, and improving the capacity of judicial officers.
The Minister explained that the proposed two-year extension of judges' tenure is one component of this broader reform initiative designed to address efficiency issues and reduce case backlogs. Herath stated that when the Human Rights Council raised concerns in Geneva, the Government clarified that the measures align with internationally-endorsed recommendations for improving the judiciary.
The Government's position reflects an effort to frame the judicial reforms as responses to long-standing systemic problems identified by international experts rather than independent policy decisions. The Minister's comments indicate Sri Lanka's intention to link its reform agenda with external assessments of the country's justice system challenges.