Abstract:
Online Dispute Resolution (ODR) is developing as a crucial solution for Sri
Lanka to address the growing number of consumer-business disputes in its
expanding e-commerce sector. Consumer Affairs Authority Act No. 9 of 2003
(CAA) relies on offline mediation boards and it lacks electronic provisions on
this matter, while the Electronic Transactions (Amendment) Act No. 25 of
2017 enables digital elements like e-signatures and filings without timeliness
mandates. The authors propose a national ODR roadmap through the deskbased
mixed research method including doctrinal analysis of Sri Lankan Laws
(Consumer Affairs Authority Act offline ADR gaps, Electronic Transaction
(Amendment) Act No. 25 of 2017 validity support, data protection) and
comparative analysis of EU, Indian and South African ODR approaches using
secondary sources to evaluate platforms, standards (Independence, 90-day
timelines) and outcomes. Key findings emphasize the foundation laid by the
Electronic Transaction (Amendment) Act No. 25 of 2017 for electronic ODR
infrastructure but highlight the necessity of amending the Consumer Affairs
Authority Act to add deadlines, accreditation, and procedural rules on top of
the current digital validity. There are three phases in the suggested roadmap
including short term (0-2 years) legal reforms for ODR recognition,
ICTA/CCA oversight and standards, medium term (2-4 years)
implementation of a centralized multilingual portal with automated routing
chat/video mediation, e-signatures and e-commerce pilots, and the long term
(4+ years) cross border expansion, AI techniques, platform integration and KPI
monitoring (settlement rates, satisfaction). This framework advances existing
literature by providing an actionable, socio-technical plan to address specific
challenges like digital literacy and privacy. This suggested roadmap is still
highly relevant for consumer confidence and the development of the digital
economy in 2025 in the absence of dedicated ODR platforms among offline
mediation development.
