The Supreme Court issued a series of interim orders yesterday, halting all proceedings in a contentious case from the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court concerning the release of elephants to suspects. The President’s Counsel, Sanjeeva Jayawardena, representing the petitioners—the Centre for Eco-Cultural Studies and Visakha Tillekeratne—argued that the Magistrate’s release order was illegal, violating the Fauna and Flora Protection Ordinance and a prior Supreme Court order.
Jayawardena noted that the Wildlife Department had previously taken the elephants into protective custody due to alleged offenses, including tampering with the Elephant Register. The petitioners maintained that the release order disregarded not only an interim Supreme Court ruling but also a Court of Appeal judgment demanding prosecutions for these offenses.
Supreme Court justices Preethi Padman Surasena and Arjuna Obeyesekere suspended the Magistrate’s release order and mandated that no further proceedings occur until the Supreme Court’s final decision. The court also sought explanations from the Attorney General regarding delays in prosecuting offenders under wildlife protection laws. The case raises significant concerns over illegal wildlife possession and the adherence to judicial orders regarding the protection of endangered species.
