Alahakoon Arachchilage Namal Nishantha Alahakoon v. Hon. Attorney General – CPA/0100/21-2022

In the case between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (represented by the Hon. Attorney General) and Alahakoon Arachchilage Namal Nishantha Alahakoon, the court considered whether the delay in filing the indictment following receipt of the government analyst report constituted “exceptional circumstances” justifying the grant of bail under the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Act No. 13 of 1984. It was held that such a delay did not amount to an “exceptional circumstance” sufficient to warrant bail, reaffirming the principle that exceptional circumstances must be evaluated on a case-by-case basis, with delay being a relative concept and only qualifying if it is excessive or oppressive. Reliance was placed on legal precedents, including Cader v OIC Narcotics Bureau and Attorne