Legal Aid
The Legal Aid Commission (LAC) was established by Legal Aid Law No.27 of 1978. The main objective of the LAC is to provide legal aid to ‘deserving persons’ in Sri Lanka. The role of the LAC is to provide legal advice and free assistance of lawyers to low income groups and to create awareness in the entire society on legal procedures. Many activities inclusive of representation in courts of law and other were implemented under the following divisions during the year.
Legal Division
Representation in Courts on behalf of deserving persons At present there are 77 Legal Aid Centers island-wide inclusive of the Colombo Center located directly under the Head Office. The main focus of the centers of the Legal Aid Commission is litigation. Legal aid is given to deserving persons: that is, persons whose monthly income is Rs.15,000/= or less. Under special circumstances the income level is relaxed eg: Legal representation in courts for women who seek maintenance for themselves and or their children irrespective of their income status.
Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka No 129,
Hulftsdorp Street,
Colombo - 12,
Sri Lanka.
+94 115 335 329/ +94 115 335 281
+94 112 433 618
Visit official web site of the Legal Aid Commission of Sri Lanka
Victims and Witnesses Protection
The National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses was established under the Assistance to and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act, No. 4 of 2015. The main objective of the Authority is to ensure the protection, promotion, and enforcement of the rights and entitlements of victims of crime and witnesses in Sri Lanka, and to provide mechanisms for their safety, dignity, and access to justice.
The role of the Authority includes receiving complaints relating to threats, intimidation, or harassment of victims and witnesses; providing protection measures where necessary; coordinating with law enforcement and justice sector institutions; and creating awareness in society regarding the rights of victims and witnesses and the safeguards available under the law.
Many activities inclusive of receiving and processing complaints, facilitating protection measures, supporting victims and witnesses during judicial proceedings, and conducting awareness and training programmes are implemented through the institutional mechanisms established under the Act.
National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses official address - First Floor
No. 428/11 A Denzil Kobbakaduwa Mawatha, Battaramulla
Hotline - 0112 779 879 official
Email -
Visit the official website of the National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses – www.napvcw.gov.lk
Document Authentication
Document Authentication Procedure
The Ministry of Justice provides document authentication services to support the use of Sri Lankan documents overseas. Once authenticated by the Ministry, documents can be submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for further legalization.
1. Authentication of Documents Certified by a Justice of the Peace (JP)
The Ministry can authenticate documents that have been prepared or certified by a Justice of the Peace (JP) or Sworn Translator.
Documents eligible for authentication include:
- Affidavits
- Certified true copies of documents, such as:
o Passport copies
o National Identity Card (NIC) copies
Requirement:
To process your document, the registration number of the Justice of the Peace must be clearly indicated on the document. Documents without this number will not be accepted.
2. Translations by Sworn Translators
If your document has been translated into another language, it must be done by a Sworn Translator authorized for the specific language pair.
Important guidelines:
- The translator must be officially sworn for the exact language combinationused in the translation.
- The translated document must be attached to the original documentwhen submitted.
Example:
A translator sworn to translate from English to Italian cannot translate a document from Italian to Sinhala. In such cases:
1. The document must first be translated from Italian to English by a qualified translator.
2. The English translation can then be used for further processing.
Need Assistance?
For further information or clarification, please contact the Ministry of Justice, JP Unit on +94 112 446 185
