Legal Aid Commission

General Information - Address: High Court Complex, Colombo 12.
Tel :433618, Fax No: 433618  e-mail address :legalaid@itmin.com

The Legal Aid Commission is a statutory body established under the Legal Aid Law  No.27 of 1978 and is mandated to provide legal assistance to economically disadvantaged persons.

The Legal Aid Commission consists of 3 members appointed by the Minister of Justice and 6 members nominated by the Bar Council of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka. member as the Administrator of the Legal Aid scheme.  The Legal Aid Advisory Council, an advisory body, established under the Legal Aid Law is chaired by the Chief Justice and consists of thirty member including the nine members of the Commission.

In terms of the law the objectives of the Commission shall be to operate through out Sri Lanka an efficient Legal Aid Scheme to provide to deserving persons-

(a)  Legal advice;

(b)  funding  for the conduct of legal and other proceedings for and on behalf of such persons;

(c)  obtaining the services of Attorneys-at-law to represent them;

(d)  arranging such other assistance as may be necessary for the conduct of such proceedings.

Members of the Commission

·       Mr. Upali Gunaratne (Chairman)

·       Mr. Manohara de Silva

·       Mr. Senarath Jayasundara

·       Mrs. Swana Perera

·       Mr. Methsiri Coray

·       Mr. S.S.Wijeratne

·       Mr. K.Neelakandan

·       Mrs. Kamalini de Silva
 

Executive Director - Mr. Leslie Abeysekera

Regional Centres

Regional Legal Aid centres have been established in the following areas to provide legal aid -

· Anuradhapura - 197, Court site, Anuradhapura (Duty Officer - Mr. A.Mahadiwulwewa)

· Kandy - Court Complex, Kandy (Duty Officer Mr. U.R.M.Ranatunga)

· Galle - Court Complex, Galle (Duty Officer Mr. K.D.D.Gunaratne)

· Kurunegala - Court Complex , Kurunegala (Duty Officer Mr. D.Seneviratne)

· Trincomalee - Court Complex , Trincomalee

In addition , through Attorney representatives the Commission functions in 10 more geographical areas. They are Hambantota, Mount Lavinia , Moratuwa, Negombo, Gampha , Matale, Ampara, Batticoloa and Moneragala.

Legal Representation

The Commission provided free legal representation in all the courts in the island by engaging the services of lawyers who are members of the panel of lawyers of the Commission, and such lawyers are paid and honoraria according approved scheme of payment, by the Commission. Assistance is generally granted with regard to matters relating to Maintenance, Divorce, Money-(damages ,accidents) land disputes, bail applications, Appeals and Labour Tribunals.

The Commission activities relating to these priority areas are conducted in different settings. According to the nature of the setting, these activities can be further categorized under the following components.

They are:

·       Providing direct legal assistance to people in the community

·       Providing assistance to prisoners

·       Providing Legal aid training for law apprentices and conducting other awareness  
    programmes for those who are in the legal field

Eligibility to receive aid

A means test is applied in the grant  of legal aid and at present a person who is in receipt of a monthly income of less than Rs 2500/=  is eligible to receive legal aid.

Legal Aid Fund

A fund created under the Legal Aid Law receives a Government grant of Rs 1.2 million .The accounts are audited annually by the Auditor-General.

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