Chandana Suriyarachchi & Others v. Secretary, Ministry of Defence & Others – SC FR/329/2017-2023

In the case between several residents, business owners, and affected persons from the Salawa area, including Kosgama, as Petitioners, and key State officials such as representatives from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Disaster Management, and Ministry of Finance as Respondents, the Supreme Court addressed whether failure to implement interim recommendations of the Human Rights Commission of Sri Lanka (HRCSL) constituted an infringement of fundamental rights under Article 12(1) of the Constitution. Petitioners challenged the adequacy of compensation and relief measures implemented by the government after the June 2016 explosion at the Salawa Army camp, alleging arbitrary inaction. It was held that the governmental actions, compensation mechanisms, and interim allowances were sufficien