Sri Lanka, July 8 -- Highlighting that the root cause of the Negombo Prison clash was tension resulting from severe overcrowding, Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara told Parliament that key legal reforms would be introduced, including a House Arrest Bill that would enable remand prisoners to be kept under house arrest subject to electronic monitoring.

"A committee has been appointed to draft the House Arrest Bill to reduce the large-scale remanding of suspects," he said.

The Minister said steps have been taken to expand the capacity of prisons to address prison overcrowding.

He said another underlying reason for prison overcrowding is the delay in granting bail to suspects held on narcotics possession charges.

"Earlier, an appeal ...