Cabinet green-lights new counter-terrorism legislation to supersede PTA

The cabinet decision signals the government's intent to introduce revised counter-terrorism legislation that will supersede the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA), a decades-old statute that has faced persistent criticism from civil society and international observers.

The new bill is expected to modernise Sri Lanka's approach to tackling terrorism-related offences while addressing longstanding concerns about the PTA's broad definitions and provisions that civil rights advocates argue have enabled arbitrary detention and legal overreach.

Details regarding specific provisions in the proposed legislation remain limited at this stage, though the cabinet approval represents a key procedural step toward legislative reform. The bill's passage through parliament would mark a substantial development in Sri Lanka's legal architecture governing national security matters.

The move comes amid ongoing international scrutiny of Sri Lanka's human rights record and domestic pressure from rights groups advocating for stronger legal protections and clearer definitions of terrorism-related offences. Stakeholders are expected to scrutinise the draft bill's contents before it advances to parliamentary debate.