Attorney General v. Lanumodarage Nishanthi and S.H. Suminda Sadeep – CA PHC APN – 48/2014-2014

In the case between the Attorney General (as Respondent/State) and Lanumodarage Nishanthi, the primary issue addressed was whether the High Court’s refusal to grant bail to the Petitioner, charged with possession and trafficking of a substantial quantity of heroin under Sections 54A and 54B of the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance, should be revised by the Court of Appeal. It was held that grant of bail in such cases is only permissible upon demonstration of “exceptional circumstances” as required by Section 83 of the Ordinance. The findings reaffirmed the principle that “exceptional circumstances” must be clearly established and are subject to the broad discretion of the court, with reference to established precedent. The decision emphasized that neither alleged discrepancies i