Wijesinghe Aarchchige Ashoka Senarath Banadara vs The Attorney General – CPA/85/21-2022

In the case between the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (Attorney General as Complainant-Respondent) and Wijesinghe Arachchige Ashoka Senarath Bandara with Kodikara Gedara Nilanthi Manike (Accused–Petitioners), the court considered whether the petitioners were entitled to revision of their convictions and sentences for rape of a minor and related offenses by the High Court of Kandy. The central issue pertained to the one-year delay in filing the revision application and whether the explanation provided for this delay—citing challenges due to the Covid-19 pandemic—amounted to exceptional circumstances justifying the court’s discretionary revisionary jurisdiction. It was held that the explanation for the delay was insufficient, and revisionary relief is available only in exception