The government has taken steps towards abolishing the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) and introducing a comprehensive new law for counterterrorism, in line with its election manifesto, Cabinet Spokesperson Dr. Nalinda Jayatissa said today (20).

He made this remark during the weekly Cabinet media briefing.

The Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No. 48 of 1979 was initially enacted to address national security threats at the time. It was later amended through the Prevention of Terrorism (Temporary Provisions) Act No. 12 of 2022 as an interim measure while a broader legal framework was being developed.

A draft bill for the new counterterrorism law was subsequently prepared but faced legal challenges in the Supreme Court. In response, the Legal Draftsman revised the bill to incorporate necessary amendments.

To further refine the legislation, the Cabinet of Ministers has approved a proposal by the Minister of Justice and National Integrity to appoint a committee chaired by President’s Counsel Rienzie Arsacularatne. This committee will conduct an in-depth review of the final draft and propose necessary improvements before the bill is presented for enactment.