It has been identified that some misinterpretations of certain Presidents of Labour Tribunals, preventing representatives other than lawyers to advocate victims, have caused a prejudice to general employees.

Accordingly, the joint proposal by Labour and Trade Union Relations Minister W. D. J. Seneviratne and Justice Minister Wijayadasa Rajapaksa to instruct the Legal Draftsman to amend the Industrial Disputes Act to make provisions to allow a person who is not a lawyer to represent or advocate parties was approved this week by the Cabinet of Ministers.

Additionally, the amendments will remove provisions preventing a lawyer from advocating in an inquiry conducted before Commissioner of Labour or authorised officer, and to transfer the power of taking action against employers who neglect orders made by such a tribunal from the Commissioner of Labour to Tribunal Presidents.