Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2023-07-17

Introduction of a new Prison Administration Act

- The Prison system of Sri Lanka is governed under the Prison Ordinance No.16 of 1877 and it has been observed that the provisions included in the said Ordinance are not sufficient to the present day requirements. Further, certain provisions in the said Ordinance are inconsistent with International legal obligations and standards to which Sri Lanka is bound. Therefore, an initial draft has been prepared by the Prison Law Reform Committee appointed by the then Minister of Justice upon the necessity of introducing a new Prison Administration Act. Accordingly, the proposal made by the Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reform to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft a new Bill, based on the said initial draft, was approved by the Cabinet.