Bernard Soysa and Two Others v. The Attorney-General and Two Others – sllr 1991 volume 2 page 056

In the case between Bernard Soysa and two others (petitioners) and the Attorney-General and two others (respondents), the court addressed whether the petitioners possessed the right under Articles 14(1)(a) and (b) of the Constitution to conduct a satyagraha at Maha Maluwa, a space adjacent to the Dalada Maligawa, without express permission. The court held that the conduct of political demonstrations in a sensitive religious premises such as Maha Maluwa requires specific permission and that prior instances of public access did not confer an unrestricted right. It was reaffirmed that while constitutional freedoms of speech and assembly are fundamental, they are subject to reasonable restrictions concerning public order and the character of property involved. The decision relied on statutory