Following the 1971 JVP insurrection, the government under Prime Minister Sirima Bandaranaike required a swift means of prosecuting the larger number of insurgents in custody, which numbered in the thousands. The concept of a tribunal empowered to inquire and sentence, by passing the normal judicial process that would otherwise take many stages and years was envisioned by Victor Tennekoon, the Attorney General. The government quickly passed the Criminal Justice Commissions Act in parliament and the first Criminal Justice Commission was established by a warrant issued by the Governor General in May 1972. By 1975, 139 inquires were conducted and 3872 insurgent suspects were charged and 2919 were produced before the commission. 2413 suspects were released under suspended sentences while 258 received terms of rigorous imprisonment, which included 3 imprisonments for life. 50 suspects were acquitted. A second commission was formed in 1976, consisting of three judges. 2520 suspects were released under suspended sentence, while 372 received terms of rigorous imprisonment, which included 5 imprisonments for life. 92 suspects were acquitted. Tyrrel Goonetilleke, Director of the Criminal Investigation Department lobbied for the extension of Criminal Justice Commissions into exchange control violations.