The Supreme Court today (23) ruled that the state of emergency declared by then Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe in 18 July 2022 was illegal and violated the fundamental rights of the citizens of Sri Lanka.

Delivering the landmark judgment, the Court held that the emergency proclamation—issued amid nationwide protests and economic collapse—lacked legal justification and failed to meet constitutional standards for limiting citizens’ rights.

Ranil Wickremesinghe, who assumed the role of Acting President on 15 July 2022 following the resignation and flight of President Gotabaya Rajapaksa, had reimposed a state of emergency in an attempt to restore order. A government gazette at the time cited the need to protect public security, public order, and the continuity of essential services.

Emergency regulations allow the military to arrest protesters, search private property without warrants, and restrict peaceful assembly—actions the court found to be in violation of the constitutional guarantees of freedom of expression, assembly, and movement.