Easter Sunday attacks: Court to hear petition on commission recommendations against Nilantha Jayawardena

The Court of Appeal today (14) ordered that a hearing be held on March 24, 2025 to examine the facts of a writ petition filed requesting that instructions be issued to the Attorney General and the Inspector General of Police to implement the recommendations made by the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the 2019 Easter Sunday attacks, against former Director of State Intelligence Service, Nilantha Jayawardena.

The case was taken up today before a bench comprising Justices Mayadunne Corea and Mahen Gopallawa.

During the proceedings, the petitioner’s counsel requested court to fix a date for the verification of facts related to the petition. In response, the bench directed that the case be heard on March 24 for this purpose.

The petition was filed by Father Rohan Silva, Director of the Social and Religious Center, and Surach Nilanga, a victim of the attacks.

The petitioners claimed that the Presidential Commission of Inquiry, which investigated the Easter Sunday attacks, issued several recommendations against Nilantha Jayawardena in his capacity as head of the State Intelligence Service at the time.

The petition further alleges that no action has been taken to implement these recommendations.

Accordingly, the petitioners have requested that the Appeals Court issue an order directing the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General’s Department to implement the recommendations of the Commission.