Politick Parliament. On record. For every citizen.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
10th Parliament· 154 sittings on record · 30,475 speeches · latest 10 June 2026

Sitting of Friday, 6 March 2026

10th Parliament· 15 debates· 160 speeches· 55 speakers

Source: Hansard PDF (parliament.lk) ↗ ·No. 23376 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard

‹ Previous sitting Next sitting ›

Order of business

Speeches load per item. Summaries shown here are AI-generated and labelled; verbatim text is on each speech page.

  4. 4 Oral question Oral Question: Justices of the Peace (Q.23/2024) 7 speeches
    • Mr. Speaker procedural
      Full speech →
    • The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB

      AI summary Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi asked the Minister of Justice and National Integration for details on the appointment and training of Justices of the Peace in Sri Lanka. He sought confirmation on whether some JPs lack adequate training, requested figures for Whole Island and jurisdiction-specific appointments and annual new appointments, and asked what compulsory qualifications and formal training apply to new appointees, including reasons if such training is not provided.

      Justice & Human Rights Full speech →
    • The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law - Minister of Justice and National Integration JJB

      AI summary The Minister of Justice and National Integration said a formal system for appointing and guiding Justices of the Peace has been introduced from 2025, including an updated handbook available online and by QR code. He stated that 66,315 JPs have been appointed since 2013, though records cannot distinguish appointment categories, and that about 40,000 vacancies were identified using a new methodology based on population density and terrain, with 500–750 appointments being issued monthly since June 2025. He outlined new minimum educational, age, health, and integrity requirements, complaint mechanisms for public accountability, and formal training for new appointees from November 2025.

      Parliamentary ProcedureJustice & Human Rights Full speech →
    • The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB

      AI summary Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi asked whether the Ministry could extend regulation of Justices of the Peace beyond appointments made after 2025 to review all existing appointees, given concerns that many past appointments were political and that the total number may approach one million. He proposed a robust verification mechanism to confirm qualifications, capacity, and authenticity of current JPs, citing difficulties in verifying JP stamps on documents at the Department of Immigration and Emigration.

      Justice & Human RightsCorruption & Governance Reform Full speech →
    • The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law JJB

      AI summary Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara said the Government is establishing a new mechanism to depoliticize Justice of the Peace appointments, following large numbers of appointments made near elections. He stated that existing appointments will not be cancelled wholesale, but a modern database will be created with biennial data updates, certification through Grama Niladhari and Divisional Secretariat channels, and complaint mechanisms via WhatsApp, email and telephone. The system will also allow verification of a JP’s seal and identity.

      Justice & Human RightsCorruption & Governance Reform Full speech →
    • The Hon. Hesha Withanage Ankumbura Arachchi SJB

      AI summary Asked whether the proposed upper age limit of 75 years for Justices of the Peace is fair, given that the role is honorary and comparable public or legal functions, such as lawyers appearing in court and Governors serving, have no similar age bar. The question sought clarification on the rationale for imposing an age restriction on JPs.

      Justice & Human Rights Full speech →
    • The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law JJB

      AI summary The Hon. Harshana Nanayakkara stated that the age limit of 75 for the honorary office was determined by a committee rather than by an individual decision. He said the limit was intended to ensure sufficient mental and physical capacity to handle complex documents, and added that the matter could be referred back to the committee if compelling reasons for reconsideration are presented.

      Parliamentary Procedure Full speech →