Courts allowed to work on holidays to clear pending court items by year-end

The Judicial Service Commission (JSC) has instructed all  High Court judges and judicial officers that pending court production  items must be cleared by December 31, 2025, as per Circular No. 422 A.  

In a recent Circular, the JSC stated that to ensure timely  clearance, court staff may work on weekends and public holidays, from  October 18 to December 31, 2025, without seeking additional permission  from the Commission.  
The circular further said that access to case production  item rooms or archives must be supervised in High Courts by an officer  designated by the High Court Judge.  

In District or Magistrate’s Courts, it should be supervised  by a District Judge, Magistrate, Additional District Judge, or  Additional Magistrate and court office operations under the direct  supervision of the Registrar or Deputy Registrar.  

The opening of the court office should be done under the direct supervision of the Registrar or Deputy Registrar.  
The directive was issued by D.M. J Dissanayake, Senior  Assistant Secretary, acting as Secretary of the Judicial Service  Commission.