Joseph Perera Alias Bruten Perera v. The Attorney General and Others – sllr 1992 volume 1 page 199

In the case between Joseph Perera alias Bruten Perera (and co‐petitioners, including Lorenz Perera alias Ruman Perera and Lionel Dias Wijegunasinghe) and the Attorney General and Others, the court addressed the issue of alleged violations of fundamental rights through the use of emergency regulations—specifically, restrictions on the distribution of literature and the legality of arrest and continued detention. It was held that while initial arrest under emergency powers was lawful, the continued detention of the petitioners beyond the period necessary for investigation was unjustified and unlawful. Regulation 28, which imposed prior restraint on the distribution of literature, was found to be ultra vires. This decision reaffirmed the principle that emergency powers must not override const