Supreme Court Dismisses Fundamental Rights Petitions Challenging Emergency Regulations

28-Feb-2026

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The Supreme Court on 26 February dismissed, without proceeding to hearing, two fundamental rights petitions challenging the emergency regulations declared by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake following Cyclone Dithwa.

The bench, comprising Chief Justice Preethi Padman Surasena and Justices Kumudini Wickramasinghe and Arjuna Obeysekera, ruled that the petitions did not prima facie establish a violation of fundamental rights.

The Attorney General’s Department informed the Court that the relevant gazette notification had already been amended and that no arrests had been made under the regulations, which are set to lapse on 28 February.

Petitioners argued that the regulations granted excessive discretionary powers to security forces. However, after considering submissions from both sides, the Court dismissed the applications.