JP posts will no longer be granted on political grounds – Justice Minister

Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara announced that the role of Justice of the Peace (JP) will no longer be assigned for political reasons. During a session in Parliament on October 6th, he mentioned that a new system is now in place for filing complaints about Justices of the Peace. He also shared that a database is being created to track JPs throughout Sri Lanka, allowing for easy verification of their status when documents need certification. Furthermore, the Minister indicated that in the future, individuals appointed to the position will have to be 75 years old or younger. He emphasized, “This position will no longer be granted on political grounds. We have launched a system to update personal information every two years.” The Minister added that there is now a requirement for certification through the Grama Niladhari and the Divisional Secretariat. He also revealed that a WhatsApp number, an email address, and a phone number are available for reporting any wrongdoing by a Justice of the Peace. He noted that the authorities have not yet talked about withdrawing the appointments of those who previously held the position. “Some have worked in this role for five to ten years and have gained valuable experience. We are working swiftly to establish a database. Once it is ready, we will be able to confirm if someone is a Justice of the Peace whenever a seal is used. Data entry is currently in progress,” he explained. The Minister pointed out that a committee made this decision based on the belief that those appointed should have the mental and physical ability to understand complex documents. “The committee decided that future appointments will be capped at 75 years of age. I have not yet received any valid reason to change this,” he concluded.