Court Recommends an Amicable Settlement to the Buddha Statue Dispute

20-Nov-2025

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The Court of Appeal has recommended that the dispute linked to the writ petition filed against the directive issued by the Coast Guard to remove the “unauthorised construction” (including the Buddha statue) at the Sri Sampath Jayanthi Bodhivardhana Vihara in Trincomalee be resolved amicably.

The writ petition filed by Ven. Kalyana Vansha Thissa Thero, Chief Incumbent of the Sri Sampath Jayanthi Bodhivardhana Vihara, was taken up for consideration on November 19 before Justices Dhammika Ganepola and Adithya Padabedunge.

The Court recommended that it would be appropriate to send Coast Guard officials to the site to determine whether there are any issues related to the construction. Accordingly, both the petitioner and the respondents agreed that the Coast Guard officers would revisit the site, conduct an inquiry into the land, and submit a report, after which further steps would be decided.