Press briefing of Cabinet Decision taken on 2017-07-18

Amendment of the Judicature Act, No.2 of 1978

- As it has been identified that the appointment of Justices of the Peace for Administrative Districts instead of appointing them for a Judicial Zone, Judicial District or Division is more practicable and appropriate, the Cabinet has granted approval to amend section 45 of the Judicature Act, No.2 of 1978, with a view to making provision in that regard.

In this context, the proposal made by Hon. (Dr.) Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, the Minister of Justice, to instruct the Legal Draftsman to draft legislation for the amendment of Judicature Act, No.2 of 1978 including the necessary provision to state that the Justices of Peace already appointed before the date of operation of this amendment shall be deemed to be appointed for the relevant Administrative District containing the Divisional Secretary Division, in which their residences were situated at the time of the appointment and with the objective of implementing a code of conduct in respect of the Justices of the Peace to enable the Minister to make regulations for the suspension, cancellation and termination of the appointment of the Justices of the Peace, was approved by the Cabinet.