ECONOMYNEXT — Sri Lanka’s cabinet of ministers has approved a proposal to publish a revised draft bill to amend Section 7 of the Mediation Board Act.
The cabinet had previously approved a proposal to amend Section 7 of the Mediation Board Act No. 72 of 1988 to mandate court appearances when mediation is not agreed upon by both parties. It would also deal with administrative issues such as delays in issuing non-clearance certificates by mediation boards and the lack of established or operational mediation boards.
The Government Information Department said on Tuesday June 25 that the Legal Draftsman has drafted the revised bill which the Attorney General has already cleared.
The cabinet of ministers has thus approved a proposal by Minister of Justice, Prison Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe to publish the draft bill in the government gazette and present it to parliament for its approval.
Rajapakshe said in December 2023 that Sri Lanka planned to take a series of measures to speed up 1.1 million pending court cases and encourage alternative dispute solving mechanisms.
There were 5,680 cases in Supreme Court, 4,054 in the Court of Appeal, 6,168 in the High Court of Civil Appeal, 8,363 in the Commercial High Court, 28,000 in the High Court, 254,000 in District Courts and 791,000 in Magistrates Courts.
In 2015, only 49 percent of complaints to mediation boards were resolved. Following reforms, the ratio has been increased to 70 percent.
The value of disputes going to mediation board has been raised to one million rupees from 500,000 rupees.
To solve land problems in the post-war period, special mediation boards on property was set up in the North and the East.
Mediation boards on property were to be set up in another 16 districts.
Commercial High Courts were increased to four from three.
Another Commercial High Court was to be set up in the future. The consideration of cases that can go to a High Court was raised from 4 million rupees to 10 million rupees.
A commercial dispute resolution law was to be introduced in January 2024.
A small claims court has been established.
Case involving disputes below 2 million rupees can be directed to small claims court. (Colombo/Jun25/2024)