The Hon. U.P. Abeywickrama, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Chairman, first, regarding a previous reference to the assassination of Vijaya Kumaratunga: Former President Chandrika Kumaratunga once stated that the 1995 Commission of Inquiry report revealed that the United National Party was behind it. I do not know whether to believe the late Vijaya’s beloved wife or Hon. Mano Ganesan.

¶ 02 Under the people’s mandate given to the National People’s Power, we are initiating transformations across all sectors, not only justice, as marked by allocations in the 2025 Budget.

¶ 03 For too long, policy-making has been arbitrary, driven by rulers’ whims. In my Gampaha District there are seven courts; the Gampaha Complex is one of the largest after Hulftsdorp. Yet facilities have been inadequate. We must rectify deficiencies across all courts to ensure equal access to justice and uphold the rule of law, consistent with our “Prosperous Country — Beautiful Life” policy.

¶ 04 For over five years, the Pugoda Court has functioned in unsuitable premises, creating hardships for judges, lawyers, and the public. We have allocated funds in this Budget to expedite completion and re-activate proper operations.

¶ 05 Historically, siting of courts and police stations lacked scientific basis, often driven by local political influence. Similarly, legal reforms often followed personal preferences of officeholders. For instance, the Civil Procedure Code (Amendment) Act, No. 43 of 2024, expanded forum choices allowing suits in plaintiffs’ places of residence as well as defendants’. Later, we saw significant complications arising from that. Therefore, consistent with our principles — equal and fair protection, transparency, efficiency, and independence — we must base reforms on evidence and sound policy rather than arbitrariness.