Politics · Sri Lanka Bureau
Supreme Court Voids Presidential Pardon in Maintenance Arrears Case
Sri Lanka's Supreme Court has invalidated a presidential pardon granted to a man imprisoned for defaulting on Rs. 1.74 million in maintenance payments, ruling the remission was unlawfully issued.
LSN Sri Lanka ·
The three-judge bench delivered its decision on Friday, finding that the pardon granted by President Ranil Wickremesinghe to Mohamed Ameen Mohamed Naseem was null and void. Naseem had been sentenced to 29 months in prison for failing to pay court-ordered maintenance arrears.
The court's judgment marks a significant development in the exercise of presidential clemency powers in Sri Lanka. The bench determined that the remission did not meet the legal requirements for a valid presidential pardon, though specific grounds for the decision were noted in the court papers.
The case has drawn attention to the interplay between executive prerogative and judicial oversight in matters of criminal justice. Presidential pardons in Sri Lanka remain subject to constitutional and legal scrutiny, with the Supreme Court empowered to review their validity.
The nullification of the pardon means Naseem's original conviction and sentence remain in effect unless modified through other legal channels. The judgment underscores the judiciary's role in ensuring that executive clemency powers are exercised within constitutional bounds.