A Supreme Court bench, comprising Justice Yasantha Kodagoda PC, and Justice Janak de Silva, on Tuesday (18), granted leave to proceed against all the respondents on the basis that the petitioners had established a prima facie case of the violation of Article 12 (1) of the Constitution in respect of the suicide of Charith Dilshan, a 2nd year student of the Faculty of Technology, Sabaragamuwa University as a result of having to endure severe ragging at the university premises on or around 26th April, 2025.

The action has been initiated by the President of the Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), Rajeev Amarasuriya, and Secretary, BASL, Chathura Galhena, representing the BASL. It was supported by Attorney-at-Law Senany Dayaratne before the SC.

Having heard the submissions of the petitioners in this application, as well as a related application bearing No. SC/FR/147/2025, instituted by the parents of Charith Dilshan, which was supported by Avindra Rodrigo PC, with Ms. Tharushi Jayarathne, the Court granted leave to proceed against all the respondents.

Additionally, the following interim orders were issued:

*  Tender reports, analysis, information and data lying in the custody of the 41st to 44th Respondents (the UGC, the Chairman of the UGC, the Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education and the Secretary to the Ministry of Education), of the incidents of ragging in state educational institutions, coming under their purview, including disciplinary action taken, after the coming into effect of the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act, No. 20 of 1998.

*  Tender a report from the 49 and/or 49A and/or 69th Respondents (the IGP and/or the Attorney General), of prosecutions pending and/or concluded, under and in terms of the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act, No. 20 of 1998.

*  Tender a report on the steps taken by the 1st to 37th Respondents (the Sabaragamuwa University, its Vice Chancellor, Deans of the Faculties, Members of the Council of the University, Secretary to the Council, Senior Assistant Registrar, Senior Assistant Registrar Academic & Student Affairs, Senior Student Counsellor, Assistant Registrar, Chief Security Officer, Marshals, Controller of Student Discipline, Sub-warden and Senior Security Officer), including their predecessors in office, to prevent and/or sanction acts of ragging at the SUSL, after the coming into effect of the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act, No. 20 of 1998, with official records of the relevant Council decisions and consequential steps taken, as evidence therefor.

*  Tender a report on the steps taken by the 1st to 37th Respondents, including their predecessors in office, to prevent and/or sanction acts of ragging at the SUSL, after the coming into effect of the said UGC Circular No.919 dated 15/01/2010, with official records of the relevant Council decisions and consequential steps taken, as evidence therefor.

*  Tender a report on the disciplinary action taken by the 1st to 37th Respondents, including their predecessors in office, in relation to acts of ragging at SUSL, after the coming into effect of the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act, No. 20 of 1998, with official records of the relevant Council decisions and consequential steps taken, as evidence therefor.

* A direction on the 41st to 48B Respondents (the UGC, the UGC Chairman, the Minister of Education, Higher Education and Vocational Education, the Secretary to the Ministry of Education, the Attorney General, the Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Minister of Health and Mass Media, the Secretary to the Ministry of Health and Mass Media, the Minister of Justice and National Integration and the Secretary to the Ministry of Justice and National Integration), to forthwith cause the operationalisation of the existing Rules, Regulations, and/or Guidelines aimed at enforcing the provisions of the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act, No. 20 of 1998, IN FULL.

*  A direction on the 64th and/or 65th Respondents (the National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses and/or the Director General of the National Authority for the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses) and/or their servants or agents to take steps forthwith, inter alia in terms of Section 41(1)(c) of the Assistance To and Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act, No. 10 of 2023, to ensure the protection and promotion of the rights and entitlements of the students of SUSL who have been victimised by ragging, and witnesses thereto.

*  A direction on the 1st to 37th and/or 49th to 52nd Respondents (the IGP, the OIC of the Samanalawewa Police Station, the Director of the CID and the OIC of the CID) and/or their agents or servants and/or successors, to station security and/or police officers within the hostels of the SUSL, in particular the ‘Sinharaja’ hostel, at all times of the day, until the final determination of the application.

*  A direction on the 1st to 37th and/or 49th to 52nd Respondents and/or their agents or servants and/or successors to report to Court of any incidences of ragging which take place within the precincts of the SUSL, its hostels, canteens, gymnasiums, and other common areas of the SUSL.

*  A direction on any one or more of the 1st to 37th and/or 49th to 52nd Respondents and/or their agents or servants and/or successors to ensure that no acts of reprisals are made by one or more of the 53rd to 62nd Respondents (the suspect raggers) and/or their agents and/or associates and/or any persons acting on their directions, against the students who made complaints and/or provided statements to any one or more of the 1st to 37th and/or 38th to 40th and/or 49th to 52nd Respondents and/or their agents and/or representatives.

*  A direction on any one or more of the 1st to 37th and/or 38th to 40th and/or 41st, 42nd, 49th to 52nd Respondents and/or their agents or servants to report to the Court of the findings regarding the investigation commenced into the ragging incident which led to the death of Charith Dilshan.

Mr. Senany Dayaratne appeared for the President and Secretary of the BASL, the Petitioners in SC/FR/101/2025, with Ms. Sankhitha Gunaratne, Mr. Harith de Mel, Ms. Nishadi Wickramasinghe, Mr. Rachika Palihawadana, Mr. Susitha Dangahadeniya, Ms. Gangulali Dayarathna, Mr. Minul Muhandiramge, Ms. Janani Abeywickrema and Ms. Maheshika Bandara, instructed by Senior Instructing Attorney-at-Law Mr. G. G. Arulpragasam.