The government has placed faster court development and improvements to the justice system at the centre of its 2027 Budget planning, as it seeks to deliver timely justice and strengthen public institutions.
During a pre-Budget review at the Presidential Secretariat on Tuesday, President Anura Kumara Dissanayake assessed the progress of projects funded under the 2026 Budget for the Ministry of Justice and National Integration while reviewing proposals for next year’s spending.
Focus on court infrastructure
The President called for faster development of court infrastructure across the country, saying an efficient justice system depends on modern facilities that can support the timely hearing of cases.
Officials updated the meeting on several major construction projects, including the Colombo High Court Complex, the Ministry of Justice building, the Hulftsdorp Court Complex, and new court complexes planned in Galle, Matale and Kantale.
The discussion also reviewed plans to resume the construction of official residences for judges after the project was suspended during the 2022 economic crisis.
Investment across justice institutions
The government also reviewed capital projects at several justice sector institutions.
The Attorney General’s Department is implementing projects under a capital allocation of Rs. 79 million, while the Legal Draftsman’s Department has received Rs. 38 million. The meeting also discussed expanding the department’s staffing and technology to improve legislative drafting.
Meanwhile, the Government Analyst’s Department is carrying out projects under a Rs. 635 million capital allocation, with funding expected to increase to Rs. 701 million. Officials also outlined plans to increase the department’s analytical capacity to 9,000 reports a month. The President instructed officials to relocate the department to premises with improved facilities.
Prisons receive largest allocation
The Department of Prisons received the largest capital allocation under the ministry, amounting to Rs. 5.627 billion.
The funding will support prison renovations, the purchase of modern equipment and vehicles, software development and improved welfare facilities for prison officers.
The meeting also reviewed rehabilitation programmes under the Department of Community-Based Corrections and discussed bringing programmes managed by different institutions under a single coordinating mechanism.
Several other institutions, including the Mediation Boards Commission, Judicial Service Commission Secretariat, Office on Missing Persons, Office for Reparations and Official Languages Commission, also presented updates on their ongoing projects.
President Dissanayake also said the government is preparing separate procurement frameworks for specialised sectors, including digital services, healthcare and defence, to streamline public procurement.
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Last modified: August 5, 2026
