Oct 07, Colombo: A Sri Lankan minister has criticized the Legal Draftsman's Department for the delay in finalizing draft legislation on a bill related to medicinal drugs.

Health Minister Maithripala Sirisena has said that the finalizing of the draft legislation for a National Medicinal Drugs Policy has been delayed at the Legal Draftsman's Department for two years.

The Policy was proposed as a measure to provide quality drugs to the public at affordable prices.

Minister Sirisena has explained that he was told that the legislation prepared by the former head of Legal Draftsman's Department was missing when he had inquired from the new head of the Department about the progress made with regard to the legislation in February this year.

The Minister has noted that he was therefore unable to tell when the draft legislation would be ready to be presented to the parliament.

However, the Minister has said that he was hopeful of presenting the legislation to parliament soon.