Commending the move, Secretary of the All Ceylon Private Sector Employees Union, Bandula Gamage, said this step was timely because the Magistrate’s Courts are presently overburdened with criminal matters and other civil cases, resulting in inordinate delays in adjudications of Labour matters conferred on Magistrate’s Courts by numerous legislations.

“These inordinate delays in bringing Labour matters before the Magistrate’s Courts, inconveniences employees who come before Courts seeking speedy relief,” he said, adding that granting power to Labour Tribunal Presidents to exercise a limited criminal Jurisdiction would make employers feel more comfortable at Labour Tribunals with the thought that they are not criminals, but mere violators of statutory provisions.

Gamage proposes that the authorities make suitable arrangements to redefine the territorial Jurisdiction of Labour Tribunals, by granting exclusive criminal Jurisdiction to Labour Tribunals in relation to labour matters, to make the process more meaningful.