HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF SRI LANKA, Annual Report 2018 INVESTIGATIONS AND INQUIRIES 3.1. Overview The Commission receives complaints from the public, while at the same time the Commission is empowered under section 14 of its parent statute to, on its own motion, inquire into issues which reveal violations of fundamental rights. 3.1.1. Introduction of new working methods: ▪ The Commission introduced and implemented new working methods in order to increase the efficiency and responsiveness of the Inquiries and Investigations division (I&I). The HRCSL introduced an appeals mechanism for all disposed complaints other than complaints in which recommendations were issued. An officer was designated to accept these appeals and review each appeal individually in order to determine if the complaints could be reentertained. An appeals template form was also developed in order to enable auditing and thereby increase accountability. ▪ Further, the referral system was further strengthened by streamlining the ‘can/cannot’ process, which determines at the outset if a complaint falls within the purview of the Commission or not. An officer was appointed exclusively for this purpose. The officer was successful in reviewing each complaint individually and referring complaints that cannot be entertained by the Commission to appropriate institutions for redress e.g., the Office of the Ombudsman, National Police Commission, Official Languages Commission, National Child Protection Authority. 37