Sri Lanka’s courts face a massive backlog of over 1.1 million unresolved cases, with Magistrate Courts holding the largest share, a Justice Ministry report reveals
Sri Lanka’s courts are burdened with a backlog of more than 1.1 million cases, it was reported.
According to Mawbima newspaper, a report released by the Ministry of Justice shows that as of June 30, 2025, a total of 1,134,474 cases remain unresolved across 293 courts nationwide.
Magistrate Courts account for the largest share, with 818,869 cases pending.
District Courts have 260,007 cases awaiting resolution, while the Supreme Court has 5,396.
The Court of Appeal lists 5,216 cases, the Civil Appellate High Court 6,591, and the Commercial High Court 6,330. In the High Court (Criminal), 27,376 cases are pending.
Children’s Magistrate Courts report 1,556 cases, and Labour Tribunals 3,131 cases. The report also notes 65 contempt of court cases awaiting settlement.
