Sri Lanka, May 25 -- "Justice delayed is justice denied" is the legal maxim that points us towards a simple truth: when legal relief or justice is not delivered in a timely manner, it amounts to no justice at all. The concept highlights how prolonged delays in the judicial system can undermine its very foundation by eroding public confidence. It can weaken the deterrent effect of the law. It can prolong the suffering of victims. It can even cause vital evidence to disappear with the passage of time.

Last week, media reports revealed that by June 30, 2025, there was a staggering backlog of 1,134,474 court cases pending before 293 courts islandwide. The largest share - 818,869 cases - was pending before Magistrate's Courts, while District ...