Dabare v. Republic Of Sri Lanka – sllr 2009 volume 1 page 092

In the case between DABARE (Appellant) and the REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA (Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether non-compliance with Section 203 of the Criminal Procedure Code, specifically the delay in delivering judgment beyond the prescribed time, affects the validity of a criminal conviction. The court held that, although the judgment was not delivered within the stipulated timeframe, such procedural lapses in complying with Section 203 are directory and not mandatory in nature. The conviction and sentence, based on evidence proving guilt beyond reasonable doubt, were not rendered invalid by this delay. This decision reaffirmed the legal principle that procedural non-compliance does not nullify a conviction unless it results in a miscarriage of justice. The reasoning relied