The National People’s Power (NPP) government has faced opposition from the Legal Officers’ Association of the Attorney General’s Department over its plan to establish a separate Office of the Public Prosecutor, a move in line with a UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) resolution.
The Cabinet of Ministers approved the creation of the prosecutorial office on May 7, 2025, and the Justice Ministry has begun the process with input from the Attorney General and the Bar Association of Sri Lanka.
However, the Legal Officers’ Association argued that separating the prosecutorial function from the Attorney General’s Department could undermine independence, efficiency, and professional standards.
The Association also said there is no scientific evidence showing that a separate office would achieve the intended objectives.
The group emphasized that independence and transparency must apply across all functions of the Attorney General’s Department, including its Civil Division.
It warned that the proposed split would be “unreasonable, arbitrary, devoid of any rational basis or merit, and ultimately counter-productive,” while reaffirming support for internal reforms to strengthen the Department’s operations.
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