Ramu Thamotharampillai vs Attorney-General – sllr 2004 volume 3 page 180

In the case between the petitioner (the convicted appellant) and the Attorney-General, the court addressed whether bail pending appeal should be granted under section 325(3) of the Administration of Justice Law. The decision established that, notwithstanding the wide discretion conferred by the new legislation, the absence of exceptional circumstances in serious cases—such as when the offense, sentence, and risk of absconding are significant—justifies the refusal of bail. The court reaffirmed the principle that judicial discretion on bail must be exercised with careful consideration of the nature of the conviction and the surrounding circumstances, weighing legislative intent against established precedents. This interpretation underscores the continued relevance of requiring exceptional gr