The Speaker of Parliament has received the Supreme Court’s determination on the 22nd Constitutional Amendment, the Speaker’s Office confirmed in a statement today.

It is reported that the confidential opinion of the Court will be formally announced in Parliament tomorrow (22). The determination was conveyed to the Speaker following the conclusion of hearings earlier this month.

The 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill and the Judicial Reforms Bill were presented to Parliament on August 18 by Justice Minister Harshana Nanayakkara. 

In response, more than 65 petitions were filed challenging the Bills, which were taken up for hearing on September 1 before a five‑judge bench presided over by the Chief Justice.

The hearings concluded on September 2, with the bench stating that its determination on the constitutionality of the Bills would be referred to the Speaker.

Meanwhile, the Parliamentary Business Committee has scheduled the debate on the 22nd Constitutional Amendment Bill for September 24 and 25, setting the stage for a crucial discussion on the proposed reforms. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court of Sri Lanka today ruled that former Inspector General of Police (IGP) Deshabandu Tennakoon and two others violated the fundamental rights of Public Security Ministry Secretary Ravi Seneviratne and Criminal Investigations Department DIG Shani Abeysekara.

The court ruled that Tennakoon and two others violated the fundamental rights of  Ravi Seneviratne and Shani Abeysekara through investigations conducted against them pertaining to the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks. 

The court has determined that the fundamental rights of the duo were violated by former IGP Deshabandu Tennakoon, Chief Inspector Indika Silva, and DIG Palitha Siriwardena by operating according to political agendas. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court has issued its determination on the Bill titled Chartered Institute of Media Professionals of Sri Lanka, which was challenged under Article 121(1) of the Constitution.

Speaker Jagath Wickramaratne informed Parliament today (08) that the Court found several clauses inconsistent with constitutional provisions.

• Clause 3(1) was deemed vague and inconsistent with Articles 12(1) and 14(1)(g), requiring passage by a special majority under Article 84(2). The inconsistency would be removed if the clause is deleted.
• Clause 4(o) was found inconsistent with Articles 12(1) and 14(1)(g), and may only be passed with a special majority unless amended as proposed by the Court.
• Clause 5(4b) was ruled inconsistent with Article 12(1) and requires a special majority under Article 84(2). The inconsistency would be removed if amended as directed.
• The remaining clauses of the Bill were determined not to be inconsistent with the Constitution.

The ruling clears the way for parliamentary debate, subject to the amendments and special majority requirements outlined by the Court. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court has concluded hearings on petitions filed against the Government’s proposed Anti‑Corruption Amendment Bill, announcing that its confidential determination on the constitutionality of the draft law will be forwarded to the Speaker of Parliament and the President.

A total of 15 petitions were lodged challenging the Bill, which were examined over two days before a three‑judge bench comprising Justices Shiran Gunaratne, Mahinda Samayawardhena, and Sampath Wijeratne.

On Friday (04), after oral submissions concluded, the Court directed parties to file any written submissions by 12.00 noon on Monday. 

The bench then announced that the Court’s confidential ruling on the Bill’s constitutionality would be communicated to the Speaker in due course.

The petitions were filed by several parties including former Minister Prof. G. L. Peiris, the Media Law Forum, and Transparency International Sri Lanka. 

Petitioners argued that the proposed amendments would curtail judicial power and infringe upon fundamental rights.

They requested the Court to rule that the Bill cannot be enacted without approval by a two‑thirds majority in Parliament and ratification through a referendum. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court today commenced hearings on a series of petitions filed against the government’s proposed Anti‑Corruption Amendment Bill, which was recently presented to Parliament.

The petitions are being examined before a three‑judge bench comprising Justices Shiran Gunaratne, Mahinda Samayawardhena, and Sampath Wijeratne.

A total of 14 petitions have been lodged, including one by former Minister G.L. Peiris. 

Petitioners argue that several provisions in the Bill violate fundamental rights guaranteed under the Constitution, particularly the sovereignty of the people.

They further contend that the proposed legislation curtails the right to information, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.

The petitioners have requested the Court to determine that, if the Bill is to be enacted, it must secure approval by a two‑thirds majority in Parliament and also be ratified through a referendum. (Newswire)

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Transparency International Sri Lanka (TISL) has filed a petition in the Supreme Court challenging the proposed Anti‑Corruption (Amendment) Bill 2026, warning that the changes represent a major policy regression and undermine constitutional safeguards.

The petition, lodged on August 31, argues that several clauses of the Bill are inconsistent with Articles 1, 3, 4, 12, 13, 14(1)(a), 14A, 126, 140, and 156A(1)(c) of the Constitution. 

TISL contends that the amendments infringe on the sovereignty of the people, restrict the Right to Information Act, and impinge on judicial power.

Among the most contentious provisions:

• Clause 4 removes judicial oversight on accomplice prosecutions, allowing the Director‑General of CIABOC to decide whether to refrain from prosecuting accomplices without magistrate authorization.
• Clauses 6 and 18 raise the threshold of state shareholding from 25% to 50%, exempting many state‑linked companies from asset declaration requirements despite their control over public assets.
• Clause 7 repeals the requirement to declare assets of cohabitants, creating loopholes for concealing illicit wealth.
• Clause 11 grants CIABOC broad redaction powers and criminalises the use of redacted asset declarations beyond formal submissions, punishable by fines or imprisonment.

TISL warns that these changes would severely restrict civic space, journalism, and free media, creating a chilling effect on freedom of expression guaranteed under Article 14(1)(a). 

The petition also challenges provisions making bail the exception and remand the norm, arguing they are vague, overbroad, and violate proportionality principles.

TISL has urged the Supreme Court to determine that the contested clauses cannot become law unless passed by a two‑thirds majority in Parliament and approved by the people at a referendum. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court will commence consideration of the 67 petitions filed against the Government’s 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill at 10.00 am today.

Of the petitions, 41 have been lodged through the online system, marking a notable feature in the proceedings.

In addition, five petitions have been filed challenging the Judicial Organizations Amendment Bill presented to Parliament.

Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena has appointed a five‑judge bench to examine the cases, with himself presiding. 

The other members are Achala Wengappuli, Arjuna Obeysekera, Sampath Abeykoon, and Gihan Kulatunga.

The Court last evening issued a notice to the Attorney General directing him to present submissions regarding the petitions. (Newswire)

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Two additional intervening petitions have been submitted to the Supreme Court in support of the Government’s 22nd Amendment to the Constitution Bill, which has been presented to Parliament. 

One petition was filed by leader of the New Sinhala Heritage, Sarath Manamendra, while the other was submitted by K. Sarath Lal Perera, General Secretary of the National Organization for the Protection of Retired Rights.

The petitions state that the Bill has been presented in a lawful manner and request the Court to rule that it can be passed without the need for a referendum. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court today ordered that a fundamental rights petition filed seeking to postpone the upcoming GCE Advanced Level Examination be dismissed without being taken up for hearing.

The petition had been submitted by five students scheduled to sit for the examination for the first and second time.

The 2026 G.C.E. Advanced Level Examination is set to be held from August 10 to September 5, 2026. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court has ordered a former employee of ATG Ceylon (Pvt.) Ltd. to pay Rs. 5 million in damages after finding that he unlawfully disclosed the company’s confidential manufacturing information and trade secrets to a South Korean glove manufacturer. 

In a judgment delivered on July 27, 2026, the Supreme Court overturned a 2019 Commercial High Court ruling that had dismissed the company’s case and instead entered judgment in favour of ATG Ceylon.  

The case was filed by ATG Ceylon, a Board of Investment company engaged in manufacturing industrial gloves, against a former process control technician who had worked for the company for more than 10 years. 

The company alleged that the employee transferred confidential manufacturing processes, proprietary technology and trade secrets relating to its “Maxi” range of gloves to a Korean competitor in exchange for financial gain. 

The Supreme Court held that the company had established, on a balance of probabilities, that the former employee entered into arrangements with the Korean company to transfer ATG’s confidential technological knowledge and manufacturing know-how. 

The Court also granted a permanent injunction preventing the former employee from disclosing or using ATG’s confidential information, trade secrets, proprietary technology and manufacturing processes, and declared that he remains under a continuing legal obligation to preserve the confidentiality of that information. 

While ATG had sought Rs. 200 million in damages, the Supreme Court awarded Rs. 5 million, noting that although the company’s actual losses were difficult to quantify, its prompt legal action had mitigated the potential damage caused by the attempted disclosure.

Court ruling : sc_chc_appeal_49_2019 (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court has ruled that the fundamental rights of social media activist Anuruddha Bandara were violated during his arrest and detention in the 2022 Aragalaya protest period.

The Court found that Deshbandu Tennakoon, then Senior Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of the Western Province, and Nalin Priyantha, then Officer‑in‑Charge of the Colombo North Special Investigation Unit, were responsible for the violation.

The ruling was delivered after examining a fundamental rights petition submitted by Bandara, who challenged the legality of his arrest and detention during the protest movement. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court has dismissed, without hearing, a fundamental rights petition that sought to annul a circular allowing women and men to change their gender.

The petition named former Presidents Maithripala Sirisena and Ranil Wickremesinghe, as well as current President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, among its respondents.

It was filed by Shantha Jayatilaka, a retired disabled officer of the Sri Lanka Air Force. 

The petition was not taken up for examination and was instead struck off, effectively ending the challenge to the circular. (Newswire)

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The Attorney General today (20) informed the Supreme Court that steps have been taken to file cases before the District Court to recover taxes allegedly evaded by liquor manufacturing companies.

The announcement came during the hearing of a fundamental rights petition filed seeking an order to recover unpaid taxes from the companies.

Appearing on behalf of the Attorney General, the Additional Solicitor General notified the Supreme Court that legal proceedings are being initiated to ensure recovery of the outstanding sums. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court has fixed September 11 to confirm facts in a fundamental rights petition filed by the father of a student who died in a bus accident involving Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) students in Badulla in 2024.

It is reported that the petition seeks compensation, alleging that the accident violated the fundamental rights of his son and two other students who lost their lives. 

The case was taken up before a three‑judge bench comprising Arjuna Obeyesekere, Dr. Sobitha Rajakaruna, and Menaka Wijesundara.

The respondents named include the Vice Chancellor of KDU, members of the Senate, and the driver of the bus, who has been directed to file objections if any.

According to the petitioner, his son was pursuing a Quantity Surveying degree and had joined a field trip to Badulla in November 2024. At Ambagaha Junction, the bus met with a fatal accident, killing three students and injuring several others.

Investigations revealed that the bus, manufactured in 1992 and registered in Sri Lanka in 2020, had a poorly maintained braking system. Technical defects prevented the driver from controlling the vehicle, leading to the tragedy. At the time, 41 passengers, including KDU students, were on board.

The petitioner argues that the accident was caused by the negligence of the respondents and requests the Court to declare a violation of fundamental rights and order suitable compensation. (Newswire)

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The Attorney General informed the Supreme Court today (10) that the current Cabinet of Ministers has decided to review the legality of agreements entered into during the previous government period for assigning the issuance of electronic visas to private companies.

The announcement was made by Additional Solicitor General Viveka Siriwardena, appearing for the Attorney General, during the hearing of fundamental rights petitions filed by former MPs M.A. Sumanthiran and Patali Champika Ranawaka, along with current MP Rauff Hakeem. 

The petitions challenge the earlier Cabinet decision to hand over the eVisa process to private firms.

The case was taken up before a three‑judge bench comprising Chief Justice Prireethi Padman Surasena, Justice Achala Wengappuli, and Justice Arjuna Obeyesekere.

The Additional Solicitor General told the court that a sub‑committee has been appointed by the present Cabinet to examine the legality of the agreements, and requested time to update the court on the progress.

Presenting facts in court, Petitioner M.A. Sumanthiran, noted that although the current government has decided to cancel the transaction, the petitioners intend to continue with the case. 

He also pointed out that members of the present Cabinet have been named as respondents.

The bench ordered that notices be issued to the Cabinet members and directed that the petition be called again on September 29. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court today concluded hearings on a fundamental rights petition against former Minister A.H.M. Fowzie, accused of violating human rights by using for personal purposes a vehicle provided by the Government of the Netherlands for Sri Lanka’s disaster management activities.

The Court announced that its judgment would be delivered at a later date.

The petition was heard before a three‑judge bench comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena, Justice Janak de Silva, and Justice Arjuna Obeyesekere.

The case was filed by Chandra Jayaratne, former Chairman of the Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, who sought a ruling that the former minister’s actions amounted to a breach of fundamental rights. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court has granted permission to proceed with an appeal challenging the eligibility of Public Security Minister Ananda Wijepala to hold a parliamentary seat.

According to reports, the order was issued after considering a petition filed by former General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna (SLPP), Renuka Perera.

The petition argues that Wijepala, though elected as a Member of Parliament, continues to function as Chief of Staff to the President, a role that disqualifies him from serving as an MP under constitutional provisions.

The case will now proceed to a full hearing, with the Supreme Court set to determine whether Wijepala can legally retain his parliamentary position while holding the executive office. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court on Tuesday (02) lifted the interim ban imposed on Vavuniya Municipal Council and its Mayor S. Kandeepan, allowing the council to resume functioning. However, the restriction against Deputy Mayor Parameswaran Karthipan will remain in force.

The Court of Appeal had earlier issued an interim order halting the activities of the council and restraining both the Mayor and Deputy Mayor from acting in their positions, following a writ petition filed by the National People’s Power (NPP) challenging Karthipan’s election.

Hearing the appeal against that order, the Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Janak de Silva, Sobitha Rajakaruna, and Menaka Wijesundara annulled the restrictions on the council and the Mayor, stressing that a body elected by the people cannot be kept paralyzed for long periods.

The Court directed that while the Deputy Mayor remains barred from functioning, if he voluntarily resigns, the Municipal Council Secretary must accept the resignation and cannot refuse on grounds of the case being pending.

President’s Counsel M.A. Sumanthiran appeared for the Vavuniya Municipal Council and Mayor Kandeepan. President’s Counsel Nizam Kariapper represented Deputy Mayor Karthipan, while President’s Counsel Saliya Peiris appeared for the petitioners. (Newswire)

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The Supreme Court has directed that Prof. W. M. Thilakaratne, a former senior academic of the University of Peradeniya who was found guilty of multiple charges of sexual harassment by a university disciplinary inquiry, be barred from holding any future position in universities or academic institutions in Sri Lanka. 

The ruling was delivered on 08 May 2026 by a three-judge bench comprising Justices Janak De Silva, Achala Wengappuli, and K. Priyantha Fernando in SC/FR Application No. 81/2021. 

The Fundamental Rights petition had been filed by Dr. W.A.M. Udari L. Abeyasinghe, a Dental Surgeon and Senior Lecturer attached to the Department of Oral Pathology, Faculty of Dental Science, University of Peradeniya. 

According to the judgment, the incidents occurred while Dr. Abeyasinghe was serving as an Assistant Lecturer under the supervision of Prof. Thilakaratne, who was also her M.Phil co-supervisor. 

The Court noted that the petitioner’s mother lodged a complaint with the Vice Chancellor of the University of Peradeniya on 02 July 2018, alleging sexual harassment and emotional abuse between July 2017 and April 2018. 

Following a preliminary investigation, the university appointed a Formal Inquiry Committee, which conducted hearings between July and September 2019. The Committee found Prof. Thilakaratne guilty of several charges, including cyber stalking, frequent hugging, touching despite objections, causing severe emotional distress, violating the university’s sexual harassment policy, and bringing the university into disrepute.  

However, the University Council later rejected the disciplinary findings, citing delays in the complaint being made, and decided not to take action against the professor. 

The petitioner subsequently complained to the University Grants Commission and later to the Human Rights Commission before filing the Fundamental Rights application before the Supreme Court in March 2021. 

The Court upheld a preliminary objection that the petition had been filed outside the constitutional time limit. 

Despite this, Justice Janak De Silva held that the Court retained powers under its “just and equitable jurisdiction” to issue directions in the public interest, particularly considering the seriousness of the findings against the professor. 

The judgment noted that Prof. Thilakaratne had never challenged or sought to invalidate the findings of the Formal Inquiry Committee. 

The Supreme Court subsequently ordered that Prof. Thilakaratne be prohibited from accepting any paid, unpaid, or honorary post in any university, educational institute, or academic institution. The Court also directed the UGC to instruct all universities and institutions under its purview not to offer him any appointment. 

In addition, the University of Peradeniya was directed to strengthen awareness and enforcement of its policies on sexual and gender-based harassment, including conducting mandatory annual seminars for academics, staff, and students. 

The judgment also highlighted Sri Lanka’s obligations under the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women (CEDAW), stressing that sexual harassment creates hostile working environments and undermines equality in employment. (Newswire)

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The Attorney General has informed the Supreme Court that the present government will not implement the previous administration’s decision to sell eight state enterprises, including Sri Lanka Telecom, SriLankan Airlines, the Insurance Corporation, and Lanka Hospitals.

The announcement was made during the hearing of a fundamental rights petition filed by Dr. Gunadasa Amarasekara and others, challenging the proposed sale. 

The petition was taken up before a three‑judge bench comprising Justices Achala Wengappuli, Mahinda Samayawardhena, and Sampath Abeykoon.

The respondents named in the petition include the Cabinet of Ministers of the former government and former President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Representing the Attorney General, the state counsel stated that the current government has decided not to proceed with the sale of the institutions, and that a committee has been appointed solely to oversee restructuring efforts.

Appearing for the petitioners, Attorney Kanishka Witharana noted that, since the government has confirmed it will not proceed with the sale, there is no further need to continue with the petition.

After considering submissions from both sides, the Supreme Court bench concluded the hearing of the petition. (Newswire)

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