The Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka was established under the Legal Aid Act No. 27 of 1978 with the objective of facilitating access to justice for all citizens, including vulnerable groups and marginalized persons.

The commission makes a significant contribution to the protection of fundamental rights through the provision of legal aid services promotion of legal awareness, strengthening the rule of law and promoting access to justice.

It has been identified the appropriateness of declaring a National Legal Aid Day to enhance the public awareness of legal rights and remedies, facilitate a national dialogue on law enforcement and enhance the public understanding of the importance of legal services.

Accordingly, having ratified the legal Aid Act No.27 of  1978, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the Minister of Justice and National Integration to declare July 06th as the National Legal Aid Day.

Circulars giving instructions are issued  each year regarding the admission of children to grade 1 in government schools, and its’ objective is to provide and ensure equal access to education, to provide necessary provisions and make necessary arrangements to act in a transparent manner and to minimize irregularities.

The new circular has been formulated taking into consideration the views and suggestions of the Commission to Investigate Bribery and Corruption, the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka, principals and education authorities, while paying attention to the new education reforms.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the
resolution formulated by the Prime Minister in her capacity as the Minister of Education, Higher Education, and Vocational Education to issue a new circular containing the relevant provisions and instructions for the admission of children to Grade 1 in government schools from 2027 onwards.

A series of political, economic, and administrative problems in the Eastern Province have arisen due to the misuse of government power and political patronage, as well as illegal land grabbing, unauthorized land grabbing, and unauthorized constructions along the coastline.

As a result, the natural ecosystem of the region has been severely endangered, and these informal and illegal human activities have also become a major factor in the rapid creation of severe soil erosion along the entire eastern coastal area.

Furthermore, despite 16 years having passed since the end of the civil war, the lack of a formal program to permanently resettle the displaced people and the deviation from common criteria in the formation of the administrative structure have had a direct impact on the development activities of the province, as well as national security.

Accordingly, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved the resolution furnished by the  President to implement the following proposals and find prompt and permanent solutions to the aforementioned problems, take legal action and  strengthen institutional coordination.

• Appointing a committee by the name of “Protecting Eastern Province Lands’ with the chairmanship of the former Land Commissioner of the Southern Province and current Local Government Commissioner of the Southern Province, Senaka Palliyaguruge, and comprising of representatives of relevant institutions.

• Establishing of a special unit headed by a Deputy Inspector General of Police and granting of full powers to the security forces to stop unauthorized land acquisitions and land reclamations carried out using political power.

• Taking over the government lands that were provided by the Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority 05 years ago, to the government where no project has been implemented so far.

• Handing over the acquired lands to the Divisional Secretaries to use for the development activities of the people under a formal program.

• Preparing of a formal plan to promote the tourism industry by utilizing the high potential of the eastern coastline while protecting the coastal system.

• Formulating a mechanism to ensure that the government officials implement the law impartially and transparently when operating hotels along the eastern coastal area.