The justice sector in Sri Lanka took a significant leap forward with the successful launch of the Commercial High Court website www.colchc.gov.lk/home, developed with the support of the European Union funded ‘Support to Justice Reform (JURE)’ project, jointly implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and UNICEF in Sri Lanka and facilitated by the Ministry of Justice. The website was launched today in Colombo with the participation of the Hon. Chief Justice Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC; Hon. Attorney General, Mr. Parinda Ranasinghe, President’s Counsel; Mr. Nihal Ranasinghe, Secretary, Ministry of Justice; Dr. Johann Hesse, Head of Cooperation, Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and Maldives; Ms. Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka; and Ms. Begona Arellano, Deputy Resident Representative, UNICEF in Sri Lanka.
The newly launched website is a comprehensive digital platform designed to enhance the transparency and accessibility of the operations in the Commercial High Court of Colombo. The website features up-to-date access to the latest judgments, orders, daily courts lists, and important notices to the public. Additionally, the site also hosts amendments to Acts and Regulations relevant to the Commercial High Court processes. At the event, Dr. Johann Hesse and Ms. Azusa Kubota also handed over digital equipment to the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice, to support the operationalization of an additional commercial high courtroom in Colombo, and the model Small Claims Court in Kandy.
Highlighting the importance of modernizing the court functions,the Chief Justice,His Lordship Jayantha Jayasuriya, PC, stated, "The launch of the Commercial High Court website signifies monumental addition in our ongoing efforts to modernize the court system. By leveraging digital technology, we aim to make administration of justice a more transparent, accessible, and efficient for all Sri Lankans while encouraging closer coordination among all agencies to strengthen the justice sector in the country."
Noting the support of this EU funded initiative, Dr. Johann Hesse, Head of Cooperation, Delegation of the European Union to Sri Lanka and Maldives commented, “Effective and quality justice systems require effective tools. Today, with support from the EU funded JURE project, the Sri Lankan justice system is taking an important step to adapt to the new digital age. The digitalisation of the Commercial High Courts make justice systems more efficient, facilitate access to justice for citizens and businesses and help courts to deliver justice.”
Emphasizing the role of UNDP, Ms. Azusa Kubota, Resident Representative, UNDP in Sri Lanka noted, "UNDP is proud to support digitization efforts that enhance court functions as a measure of improving access to justice and efficiency in the dispute resolution landscape in Sri Lanka. Digitization efforts falls in line with our core objectives to create adaptive, agile and reliable governance system that serves as a vehicle to efficiently deliver justice. By improving public access to daily court functions, we are advancing our mission to promote justice, transparency, and equitable development under the SDGs."
This initiative is part of the broader action plan set by the Enforcement of Contract Task Force chaired by the Ministry of Justice to place effective measures to expedite resolution of commercial disputes. In addition to supporting the website, the EU funded JURE project will be supporting the Ministry of Justice to effect a number of catalytical reforms in the justice sector in Sri Lanka.