The Hon. Bhagya Sri Herath, Attorney-at-Law

## Summary Hon. Bhagya Sri Herath spoke in support of proposed amendments to the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance and the Judicature Act, which the Opposition stated it endorses, while questioning why such reforms were delayed. The speaker argued that past political interference had shielded drug traffickers from law enforcement, and asserted that this obstruction has now ended, enabling officers to act without political pressure. In response to an Opposition concern regarding DNA testing in maintenance cases, the speaker clarified that courts can draw an adverse inference under section 114 of the Evidence Ordinance where a putative father refuses testing, making legislative intervention unnecessary. The speaker outlined a broader government strategy combining legal enforcement, expansion of rehabilitation centres, and social investment—including sports facilities in Anuradhapura and Mihintale—to address drug use through what was described as a coordinated, society-wide approach.