Ministry of Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms

The Ministry of Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms[2] (Sinhala: අධිකරණ, බන්ධනාගාර කටයුතු හා ආණ්ඩුක්‍රම ව්‍යවස්ථා ප්‍රතිසංස්කරණ අමාත්‍යාංශය; Tamil: நீதி, சிறைச்சாலை நடவடிக்கைகள் மற்றும் அரசியலமைப்பு மறுசீரமைப்பு அமைச்சு) is the cabinet ministry of the Government of Sri Lanka responsible for the implementation of policies, plans and programmes for the administration of the country's justice system, and thereby administers its courts and prisons. Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe is the incumbent Minister of Justice as of 20 May 2022.[1]

Ministry of Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms
අධිකරණ අමාත්‍යාංශය
நீதி அமைச்சு
Agency overview
JurisdictionGovernment of Sri Lanka
HeadquartersSuperior Courts Complex, Colombo 12
6.935221°N 79.861824°E / 6.935221; 79.861824
Ministers responsible
Agency executive
  • Padmasiri Jayamanna, Ministry Secretary
Child agencies
  • Department of the Attorney General
  • Debt Conciliation Board
  • Department of the Legal Draftsman
  • Department of Public Trustee
  • Judicial and Reforms Unit
  • Law Commission of Sri Lanka
  • Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka
  • Mediation Boards Commission
  • National Authority for The Protection of Victims of Crimes and Witnesses
  • Office of the Registrar of the Supreme Court
  • Office of the Secretary of Labour Tribunals
  • Sri Lanka Judge’s Institute
  • Sri Lanka Law College
  • Superior Courts Complex Board of Management
  • Training Schools for Youthful Offenders
Websitemoj.gov.lk
Politics of Sri Lanka
Coat of arms of Sri Lanka, showing a lion holding a sword in its right forepaw surrounded by a ring made from blue lotus petals which is placed on top of a grain vase sprouting rice grains to encircle it. A Dharmacakra is on the top while a sun and moon are at the bottom on each side of the vase.
Constitution
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Related issues
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History

The post was established in 1947 under the Soulbury Constitution as one of two fixed ministerial portfolios, the other being the Ministry of Finance. The post took over several functions of the previous colonial post of Legal Secretary. The Soulbury Constitution mandated that the appointee to the post of Minister of Justice should be from the Senate of Ceylon. This provision was removed following the abolishion of the Senate in October 1971. Since 1947, it has been tradition to appoint a lawyer to the post, with a few exceptions.

Roles and responsibility

The ministry does not have oversight of policing, which comes under the Ministry of Defence.

Departments

Appointments

It also has the authority to appoint individuals to the positions of:

List of ministers
Parties

  Sri Lanka Freedom Party   United National Party   Sri Lanka Muslim Congress   Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna


Name Portrait Party Tenure Head(s) of Government
Lalitha Rajapaksa United National Party 26 September 1947 – 1953 D. S. Senanayake
Dudley Senanayake
E. B. Wikramanayake United National Party 1953 – 1956 John Kotelawala
M. W. H. de Silva Sri Lanka Freedom Party 1956 – June 1959 S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike
Valentine S. Jayawickrema Sri Lanka Freedom Party June 1959 – 1960 S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike
Wijeyananda Dahanayake
E. J. Cooray United National Party 23 March 1960 – 21 July 1960 Dudley Senanayake
Sam Fernando Sri Lanka Freedom Party 23 July 1960 – March 1965 Sirimavo Bandaranaike
A. F. Wijemanne United National Party March 1965 – 1970 Dudley Senanayake
Felix Dias Bandaranaike Sri Lanka Freedom Party 1970 – 1976 Sirimavo Bandaranaike
Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Ratnasiri Wickremanayake Sri Lanka Freedom Party 1976 – 1977
K. W. Devanayagam United National Party 23 July 1977 – 14 February 1980 J. R. Jayewardene
Nissanka Wijeyeratne Nissanka Wijeyeratne United National Party 14 February 1980 – 1988
Vincent Perera United National Party 1989 – 1990 Ranasinghe Premadasa
Abdul Cader Shahul Hameed United National Party
Harold Herath United National Party 1993 – 1994 Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
G. L. Peiris G. L. Peiris Sri Lanka Freedom Party 1994 – 2001 Chandrika Kumaratunga
W. J. M. Lokubandara W. J. M. Lokubandara United National Party 2001 – 2004
Amarasiri Dodangoda Sri Lanka Freedom Party 2004 – 30 May 2009 Chandrika Kumaratunga
Mahinda Rajapaksa
Milinda Moragoda Sri Lanka Freedom Party 30 May 2009 – 23 April 2010 Mahinda Rajapaksa
Athauda Seneviratne Sri Lanka Freedom Party 23 April 2010 – 22 November 2010
Rauff Hakeem Sri Lanka Muslim Congress 22 November 2010 – 28 December 2014
Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe United National Party 12 January 2015 - 23 August 2017 Maithripala Sirisena
Thalatha Atukorale United National Party 25 August 2017 - 22 November 2019
Nimal Siripala de Silva Nimal Siripala de Silva Sri Lanka Freedom Party 22 November 2019 - 12 August 2020 Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Ali Sabry Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna 12 August 2020 - 3 April 2022 Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Office Vacant 3 April 2022 - 26 April 2022 Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Ali Sabry Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna 26 April 2022 - 9 May 2022 Gotabaya Rajapaksa
Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe Independent 20 May 2022 - Present Gotabaya Rajapaksa

See also

References
  1. "LIST OF CABINET MINISTERS". cabinetoffice.gov.lk. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
  2. "Extra Gazette No. 2281/41 of 27.05.2022 (Duties and Functions)" (PDF). documents.gov.lk. Retrieved 2022-06-10.
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