Upali Liyanage Vs. Hon. Attorney General and others – CA CPA/0124/18-2018

In the case between the Hon. Attorney General of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka and Upali Liyanage (5th Accused) and others, the court addressed whether non-compliance with Section 7(1)(c) of the Evidence (Special) Provisions Act No. 14 of 1995—specifically the failure to provide timely access to proposed computer evidence—renders such evidence inadmissible in a criminal trial, or whether the High Court may exercise discretion to facilitate later access. It was held that the statutory timeframes under the Act are directory rather than mandatory, and that the High Court retains discretion under Section 7(1)(d) to provide further directions enabling access. This principle was reaffirmed with reliance on both domestic statutes and comparative jurisprudence on statutory interpr