Alawatthage Chularathne Anura De Silva vs Hon. Attorney General – SC APPEAL NO 210/2017-2023

In the case between the Officer In Charge, Police Station, Bibile (Complainant/State) and Sanjaya Samantha Bandara Nanayakkara with Alawatthage Chularathne Anura De Silva (Accused/Appellants), the court addressed the issue of whether a police constable was considered “on duty” during an incident involving alleged criminal force by the 2nd Accused. It was held that police officers are regarded as on duty at all times and that their role as public servants persists irrespective of specific shift hours. The legal principle reaffirmed was that off-duty police officers retain an obligation to act in the maintenance of public order and may be protected by relevant statutory provisions when doing so. This decision relied on Section 344 of the Penal Code, Section 56 of the Police Ordinance, and in