The Hon. Bhagya Sri Herath, Attorney-at-Law

¶ 01 Hon. Deputy Speaker, today we are to approve Orders under Act No. 49 of 2024 enabling recognition and enforcement in Sri Lanka of certain foreign civil judgments—particularly monetary and divorce decrees—from designated countries. After the Minister tables the Orders, our task is to debate them substantively: how the designations align with the Act, and what further legal or policy frameworks we need.

¶ 02 An Opposition Member demanded that the Minister must consult the Foreign Minister or Attorney-General mandatorily. The Act states the Minister “may” seek their views—discretionary, not mandatory.

¶ 03 On the CMC matter: the Opposition lost because they lacked the votes. Instead of reflecting on why, they now claim the secret ballot was illegal, brandishing guidelines while ignoring the statute’s provisions and their interpretation. If they truly believe it unlawful, they should go to court. Parliament’s time should not be consumed by issues they refuse to litigate.

¶ 04 Global legal systems evolve rapidly. Our debates should focus on reforms with real impact, not theatrics. The Orders before us are part of broader judicial reforms. We discussed digitization and other measures at the Ministry Advisory Council yesterday. A Gazette alone will not solve backlogs; implementation capacity matters—staffing, infrastructure, and process improvements.

¶ 05 We support these Orders as a step forward, especially benefiting Sri Lankans abroad who previously had to re‑litigate civil matters like divorce or monetary claims here. Thank you.