Dr. Anura Liyanarachchi v. Hon. Attorney General – CA PHC/APN/137/2020-2021

In Dr. Anura Liyanarachchi v. Hon. Attorney General (Republic of Sri Lanka), the court considered whether denial of bail pending appeal by the High Court was justified in the context of alleged “exceptional circumstances.” The central issue concerned whether the accused’s serious and ongoing medical condition following a traumatic brain injury, suffered during imprisonment, amounted to such an exceptional circumstance as to warrant bail pending appeal. It was held that the existence of severe medical distress, as evidenced by uncontested medical documentation, necessitated reconsideration of the bail refusal, reaffirming the principle that substantial justice must prevail over mere procedural technicalities in revisionary proceedings. The decision relied upon the statutory framework of the