A report released by the Ministry of Justice Sri Lanka has revealed that more than 1.1 million cases remain pending in courts across Sri Lanka.
According to the report, as of June 30, 2025, a total of 1,134,474 cases were pending before 293 courts islandwide.
The highest backlog has been recorded in the Magistrate’s Courts, where 818,869 cases remain unresolved.
The report further states:
- District Courts of Sri Lanka – 260,007 pending cases
- Supreme Court of Sri Lanka – 5,396 cases
- Court of Appeal of Sri Lanka – 5,216 cases
- Civil Appellate High Courts of Sri Lanka – 6,591 cases
- Commercial High Court of Sri Lanka – 6,330 cases
- High Courts of Sri Lanka – 27,376 criminal cases
In addition:
- 1,556 cases are pending before Juvenile Magistrates’ Courts
- 3,131 cases remain before Labour Tribunals
- 65 contempt of court cases are also pending
The report highlights the continuing pressure on Sri Lanka’s judicial system amid concerns over lengthy delays in legal proceedings and case resolution.
