The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has filed a Fundamental Rights Petition before the Supreme Court, seeking a ruling that the ragging incident involving Charith Dilshan, a second-year student at the Faculty of Technology of the Sabaragamuwa University, constitutes a violation of fundamental human rights, and requesting that an extensive investigation be conducted, along with an order issued to the respondents.
In addition, the petition requests that the authorities be ordered to formulate a program to combat ragging in state educational institutions, including universities.
The petitions have been submitted by the President of the BASL, Attorney-at-Law Rajeev Amarasuriya, and its Secretary, Chathura Galhena.
The Sabaragamuwa University of Sri Lanka, its Vice-Chancellor and Council members, the Secretary to the Ministry of Higher Education, the Secretary of Defense, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), the Acting Inspector General of Police, the Officer-in-Charge of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), and the Attorney General have been named among 69 individuals as respondents.
The petition, filed through Attorney-at-Law G.G. Arul Pragasam, states that the decision to file this public interest litigation was made after considering the recent incident in which Charith Dilshan was subjected to a serious ragging incident and later committed suicide as a result.
The petition points out that such unfortunate incidents continue to occur due to the lack of effective measures to eradicate ragging in state educational institutions.
It further highlights that these incidents are causing severe harm to students in universities and other public educational institutions, and emphasizes the urgent need for the authorities to address the issue.
Accordingly, the BASL requests the Supreme Court to rule that the death of the student, which resulted from ragging, constitutes a violation of fundamental human rights.
The petitioners also request the Court to issue an order directing university authorities to enforce the existing laws and regulations to eliminate ragging, to take action against perpetrators under the Prohibition of Ragging and Other Forms of Violence in Educational Institutions Act, No. 20 of 1998, and to issue an appropriate order to the respondents.
Furthermore, the petition calls for the preparation of a set of guidelines to prevent students from becoming victims of ragging, and for an order to be issued to provide protection to students affected by such incidents under the Protection of Victims of Crime and Witnesses Act.
