Sri Lanka’s judiciary has taken a significant step towards modernisation with the successful conduct of a fully paperless court hearing at the Supreme Court (SC) on 26 March.
The hearing was presided over by Chief Justice (CJ) Preethi Padman Surasena, together with SC Judges, Justices Arjuna Obeyesekere and Dr Sobhitha Rajakaruna.
The case heard during the session involved a contempt of court matter arising from the failure of a respondent to pay Rs. 3 million in compensation as previously ordered by the SC.
That order had originated from a fundamental rights case linked to the alleged leak of the 2024 Grade Five Scholarship examination paper before the scheduled examination date.
A key feature of the hearing was the use of a fully digital case file prepared by the SC, replacing traditional paper-based documentation.
Members of the bench reviewed the case materials electronically during the open court proceedings.
During the hearing, SC Registrar Manodhi Hewawasam read out the charge sheet against the respondent in open court. The document was then digitally signed and released through the electronic system, allowing authorised parties to access it immediately.
The matter has been postponed until 14 May 2026, for further hearing.
The development forms part of the e-Court project, initiated under the leadership of CJ Surasena with the aim of digitising the country’s judicial system.
Officials confirmed that the digital system was developed entirely by the SC with technical support from Sri Lanka Telecom.
Through the newly introduced e-filing platform, legal practitioners are now able to file cases electronically, allowing faster submissions and reducing operational costs.
Authorities also expect the digital system to significantly reduce expenditure on paper and stationery, contributing to savings in foreign exchange.
The Ministry of Justice and National Integration noted that an increasing number of lawyers are already making use of electronic filing due to its convenience and efficiency.
Plans are currently underway to expand the digital system to courts across the country.
The e-filing platform was officially launched last month, and officials confirmed that a substantial number of cases have already been submitted through the system.