History Section

HIGH COURT KULIYAPITIYA

Further strengthening the legal convenience and justice delivery process of the people of the North Western Province in the Sri Lankan judicial system, the Kuliyapitiya High Court was officially opened on 13 May 2014 during the tenure of the Hon. Chief Justice Mohan Peiris. Thereafter, the first judicial proceedings of the Kuliyapitiya High Court were commenced on 11 June 2014 by Hon. High Court Judge Sunanda Kumara Rathnayake.

The people of Kuliyapitiya and its surrounding areas, who previously had to go to the Kurunegala High Court for their legal requirements are now able to save time and money and receive efficient service. The Kuliyapitiya High Court, which was established with the aim of building a just society by safeguarding the rule of law, marks a unique juncture in the judicial sector of the North Western Province.

The decentralization of judicial powers in the North Western Province is another issue. The main objective of this is to increase the efficiency of the judicial system in the North Western Province by decentralizing the judicial powers rather than concentrating the legal affairs of the entire district in one place. Therefore, the establishment of the Kuliyapitiya High Court is not just a matter of constructing a new building but a progressive step taken to lighten the caseload of the Kurunegala High Court and provide speedy and fair justice to the people.

High Court Kuliyapitiya

High Court Kuliyapitiya

North Western Province

Honorable High Court Judges

Since the inception of the Kuliyapitiya High Court, senior and experienced High Court Judges have served in this High Court. Starting with the Kuliyapitiya High Court has been:

  • 1. Hon. Sunanda Kumara Ratnayake - 2014.06.11
  • 2. Hon. K.M. Mr. Gihan H. Kulathunga - 2017.01.02
  • 3. Hon. M.C.B.M. Moraes - 2017.01.02
  • 4. Hon. Jagath A. Kahandagamage - 2017.12.04
  • 5. Hon. S.A.I.S. Suraweera - 2020.09.21
  • 6. Hon. Y. Fernando - 2021.02.17
  • 7. Hon. Gihan Pilapitiya - 2022.03.16
  • 8. Hon. W.M.M. Thalgodapitiya - 2023.06.12

The above Honorable High Court Judges have rendered valuable service to the public.

Administration & Legal Process

The 13th Amendment to the Constitution in 1987 and the Judicature Act of 1978 expanded the provincial High Court system throughout Sri Lanka.

Since the inception of the Kuliyapitiya High Court, the Registrars of the Courts have played a very important role in ensuring the smooth running of the administration and legal process. The Registrar of the Courts, who is the chief administrative officer of the court, acts as the main liaison among the Hon. High Court Judges the public and lawyers. The legal process of the court cannot be maintained without the administrative contribution from the Registrars for the smooth, efficient and correct functioning of the High Court as a whole.

Before the establishment of the Kuliyapitiya High Court, all serious criminal cases, drug offences and MC appeal cases in the Kurunegala district were heard only in the Kurunegala High Court. This created a huge backlog of cases in the Kurunegala High Court and it took many years to hear the cases.

“Justice delayed is justice denied” According to the legal concept of justice delayed is justice denied, the need for a High Court in Kuliyapitiya was strongly felt with the aim of minimizing the delay in cases and obtaining the results of the cases quickly.

People in areas such as Kuliyapitiya, Narammala, Hettipola, Giriulla, police officers, witnesses and lawyers had to travel long distances to Kurunegala, which cost the people a considerable time, effort and money. With the establishment of the Kuliyapitiya High Court, It was made easy for people to obtain legal relief efficiently.

Environment & Infrastructure

The Kuliyapitiya High Court is situated in a very peaceful and pleasant environment. The large shady trees and the green lawns give the court premises a serene atmosphere. The Kuliyapitiya High Court is not just a place where only litigatims is involved but also a serene environment filled with dignity and environmental beauty. This entire court complex, consisting of two two - storey buildings, has been well designed to facilitate the conduct of court proceedings in accordance with legal standards and, the various departments established within the building premises directly contribute to increase the efficiency of the court.

The Open Court is the main hall where the public and lawyers can participate in the hearings with dignity. The office of the Honorable High Court Judge is the main canter for the legal research and preparation of case decisions of the Judge, which has been designed to protect the independence and confidentiality of the court. The archive, where important case files and legal documents of from many decades are kept in a very secured manner, and the record room, where important evidence and case materials related to criminal cases are safely stored, are two places that are at the heart of the Kuliyapitiya High Court.

This serene environment of the premises is created to provide peace of mind to witnesses, lawyers and the public who come to this premises getting redress. The blend of serene environment and neatly arranged buildings make the Kuliyapitiya High Court people friendly Court Complex in the Country.