Prasangili Durayalage Kanchana Lakmali vs Hon. Attorney General – CA BAL/0413/2023-2023

In the case between Prasangili Durayalage Kanchana Lakmali (petitioner/accused) and the Hon. Attorney General, the court examined whether exceptional circumstances existed under Section 83(2) of the Poisons, Opium and Dangerous Drugs Ordinance to justify granting bail to an accused charged with possession and trafficking of heroin. The determination focused on factors such as the petitioner’s prolonged incarceration, the welfare of her minor child, the absence of previous convictions, and her serious medical condition (Diabetic Mellitus). The holding established that the combination of these factors constituted exceptional circumstances sufficient to warrant bail. The decision reaffirmed that the presence of exceptional circumstances must be clearly established to justify deviation from th