The Supreme Court (SC) has ruled that the use of emergency powers by then Acting President Ranil Wickremesinghe to evict ‘Aragalaya’ protesters from Galle Face Green in July 2022 violated their fundamental rights. The Court held that the emergency regulations invoked under the Public Security Act were arbitrary and therefore invalid.

Chief Justice Murdu Fernando and Justice Yasantha Kodagoda formed the majority opinion, while Justice Arjuna Obeysekera dissented, stating that no rights had been breached.

The petitions were filed by the Centre for Policy Alternatives, Ambika Satkunanathan, and the Liberal Youth Movement.