Sri Lanka President backs Supreme Court rulings

Speaking in Badulla, the president said laws must apply equally to everyone and that those who previously benefited from legal protections are now protesting because they fear accountability. He said parliament passes laws, the attorney general and anti-corruption authorities file cases under those laws, and police and the Bribery Commission conduct the necessary investigations, but the final legal determination rests with the courts and ultimately the Supreme Court.

“Whatever decisions are given by the court, we will abide by them. Don’t expect any more decisions from us beyond that,” he said, according to remarks in Sinhala.

For investors, the message is less about the specific case than about the direction of Sri Lanka’s institutional framework. A government that publicly defers to the judiciary may be viewed as more predictable on enforcement, anti-corruption cases and politically sensitive disputes, all of which can affect sentiment toward sovereign risk, domestic equities and the broader reform agenda.

The statement also underlines Dissanayake’s effort to cast his administration as one that is dismantling privileges enjoyed under the old order. That political framing could help consolidate support at home, but it also raises the stakes for how consistently the government follows through on legal actions against powerful interests.

The next test will be whether that rhetoric translates into steady execution across high-profile cases and reforms, especially if rulings begin to collide with entrenched political or business interests.