Anuruddha Ratwatte and Others v. The Attorney General – sllr 2003 volume 2 page 039

In the case between Anuruddha Ratwatte and Others and the Attorney General, the Court addressed the issue of the lawfulness of the High Court’s refusal to grant bail—specifically, whether such refusal, given solely because the trial was scheduled on four days a week and without providing statutory reasoning, was valid under the prevailing legal framework. It was determined that the refusal of bail was arbitrary and unlawful, as the High Court failed to supply the written reasons required by the Code of Criminal Procedure Act and the Bail Act. The holding reaffirmed the principle that personal liberty must be preserved except where specific legal grounds, supported by evidence and legal provisions, justify deprivation. This decision relied on Sections 14 and 15 of the Bail Act and Sections