Monk in noise pollution case released by Supreme Court

(September 08, Colombo, Sri Lanka Guardian) The monk who was remanded for a case of contempt of court after he failed to appear before the Supreme Court for violating a court ruling on the prevention of noise pollution was today released by a bench comprising Chief Justice Sarath N. Silva.

On Friday, the case gained wide local and international publicity after a group of monks in protest of the Supreme Court decision openly showed their protest by failing to arise when the Chief justice and the judges walked in to commence sittings.

Soon after the bail application filed on behalf of the monk, Pannala Pannayaloka thera of the Welikadawatta temple in Rajagiriya, the application was refused and the case was due to be taken up on September 15.

However, on behalf of the monk, Ven. Hikkagoda Udayadamma in an appeal made today said that the monk had failed to turn up in courts as he had forgotten the date and that in future he would adhere to the ruling on prevention of noise pollution.

In the appeal the monk said that he had no connection with Friday’s incident where some of the monks showed disrespect to the judiciary and regretted the incident.
- Sri Lanka Guardian