• Urges Prisons Dept. reforms focused on operational transparency, accountability 

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL), in a letter addressed to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, raised concerns on the irregular grant of a Presidential pardon, and urged to strengthen transparency and accountability in the operations of the Prisons Department with a focus on institutional reforms.

The BASL also called for a full and impartial investigation into the incident, identifying all the responsible parties and taking necessary disciplinary or legal action against the perpetrators. 

The letter was in connection with a convicted inmate of the Anuradhapura Prison being released under the guise of a Presidential pardon, without following the proper legal process.

The letter stated: "The power granted in Article 34 of the Constitution to the President to pardon convicts must be exercised in a transparent and procedurally-sound manner that is consistent with judicial precedent (Supreme Court Fundamental Rights case of Hirunika Premachandra vs. The Attorney General), the latter which affirms that the exercise of the clemency power is subject to judicial review. The incident raises grave questions about institutional malpractice, the misuse of administrative authority, and breaches in the internal control systems of the prison authorities. Such unauthorised actions reflect a serious breakdown in the procedural integrity of the system and raise concerns of possible impropriety. The rule of law must prevail without exception and no space should exist for the arbitrary and unlawful release of prisoners in a manner that disregards victims' rights and judicial determinations."