Attorney General vs Balasubramaniam Joseph Peter – CA PHC APN NO. 138/2012-2012

In the case between the Hon. Attorney General and Balasubramaniam Joseph Peter, Atapattu Mudiyanselage Danapala, the court addressed the legality of converting a judicial fine into a “crown cost” and whether such a conversion could exceed the statutory maximum prescribed under Section 306(3)(II) of the Criminal Procedure Code. It was held that the conversion by the High Court of a Rs. 45,000/- fine to crown costs was unlawful, as crown costs exceeding Rs. 1,500/- are impermissible under the statute. The court reaffirmed the principle that court-imposed costs are bound by statutory limits. The decision relied on the interpretation of Section 306(3)(II) of the Criminal Procedure Code, emphasizing that judicial discretion in imposing crown costs must adhere strictly to the legislative cap.

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