PARLIAMENT

• Prompt response from the Minister of Justice given the intervention of the Parliamentary Caucus for Children

In order to avoid the inconvenience caused to children who become victims when obtaining affidavits required for legal matters, a Gazette Notification has been issued pertaining to the legal provisions to appoint the probation officers as justices of the peace.

Pursuant to the Judicature Act No 02 of 1978, the Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms Hon. (Dr.) Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, PC has issued this Gazette Notification No. 2347/10-2023.

Accordingly, it has been stated in the notification that every Probation Officer of the Department of Probation and Child Care Services, who is in active permanent service, shall be an ex-officio Justice of the Peace for the respective administrative district of the province to which such officer is appointed.

Moreover, every National Integration Co-ordinating Officer attached to the Divisional Secretariats, who is in active permanent service, shall be an ex-officio Justice of the Peace for the respective administrative district to which the Divisional Secretariat Division belongs is also stated the Gazette Notification.

The Minister of Justice has issued this Gazette Notification given the intervention made by the Parliamentary Caucus for Children taking into account the need to appoint justices of the peace to probation officers to avoid the inconvenience of obtaining affidavits required in legal proceedings for children who become victims.

This was taken into discussion at length in the Parliamentary Caucus for Children held Chaired by Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, and the Provincial Commissioners including the Commissioner, Department of Probation and Child Care Services who joined the meeting. Presenting their concerns and suggestions to the Caucus, they pointed out that during the judicial process, the victimized children who are under probation are inconvenient when referring to a third party to obtain affidavits.

Accordingly, the Parliamentary Caucus for Children submitted the proposal to appoint Justice of the Peace bringing it to the attention of the Minister of Justice.

The Chair of the Parliamentary Caucus for Children Hon. (Mrs.) Rohini Kumari Wijerathna, Member of Parliament expressed her gratitude and thanks to Hon. (Dr.) Wijeyadasa Rajapakshe, Minister of Justice, Prisons Affairs and Constitutional Reforms, stating that it was a unique achievement of the Caucus. She also expressed her gratitude to all the dedicated parties at the Caucus meeting held on 22.09.2023.