The report, prepared to establish a systematic, fair, and transparent mechanism for granting Presidential Pardons to convicted prison inmates, was handed over by retired Supreme Court Judge Mr. S. Thurairaja to the Secretary of the Ministry of Justice and National Integration, Ms. Ayesha Jinasena, PC.
On June 25, 2025, the Cabinet of Ministers appointed a committee chaired by retired Supreme Court Judge Mr. S. Thurairaja to study the proviso of Article 34 (1) of the current Constitution, along with other statutory acts and judicial rulings. The committee's mandate was to rectify existing administrative procedural deficiencies in the prison sector and present recommendations.
The other members of this committee included Deputy Minister of Mass Media Dr. Kaushalya Ariyarathne, Additional Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and National Integration Piyumanthi Peiris, Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police (SDIG) Legal Asanga Karawita, Chairperson of the Bureau of Rehabilitation Professor Wasantha Subasinghe, Specialist Dr. Chiththahari Abayanayake, former Acting Commissioner of Prisons Nishan Dhanasinghe, Acting Commissioner General of Prisons Prasad Hemantha Kumara, Senior Assistant Secretary (Legal) to the Ministry of Justice and National Integration Roshani Hettige, and Senior Assistant Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and National Integration Chandima Welikala.
This initiative is recognized as a fundamental step in the government's ongoing reforms to create a prison system that aligns with international standards, while easing the current severe overcrowding in prisons and addressing various shortcomings in inmate rehabilitation processes.
The Ministry of Justice and National Integration stated that it will review these recommendations and take appropriate measures to implement them in the near future.
