In this video commentary, Mr Basil Fernando of the Asian Human Rights Commission comments on the recommendations of the Sectoral Oversight Committee on Legal Affairs, on the expeditious and efficient administration of criminal justice. This Committee made a report on the above topic on the 20th September 2017.
In that Report while the Committee admitted that unacceptable and shameful delays have been taking place in the adjudication of cases in Sri Lanka, it specifically commented on criminal cases that usually takes about 17 years to complete. The Committee noted that there is public anger against these shameful delays and measures must be immediately taken to remedy this situation. The Committee recommended day-to-day hearing of criminal trials at the High Courts and that in some cases the trial-at-bar should be introduced where three judges will be hearing a case from the beginning to the end. The Committee recommended that the trial-at-bar should be introduced to all cases relating to serious corruption.
In this commentary the AHRC reviews the Committee recommendation which had been made two months earlier with the view for implementation within 06 months and questions as to the measures that should have already been made if the recommendations are to be implemented in the manner recommended by the Committee.
