Sri Lanka Brief/23 September 2025) The Supreme Court has sentenced Harsha Illukpitiya, Controller of Immigration and Emigration, to two years in prison for contempt of court.
The ruling was delivered today by Justice Yasantha Kodagoda, who stated that Illukpitiya had committed serious contempt by failing to implement an interim order previously issued by the Court. The verdict was supported by Justices Janak de Silva and Arjuna Obeysekara.
Illukpitiya was found guilty of disregarding a Supreme Court injunction related to the e-visa issuance process. The interim order, issued on August 2, 2024, instructed the Immigration Department to continue issuing e-visas under the existing system, pending a hearing on a Fundamental Rights Petition.
The petition was filed by MP Rauff Hakeem and former MPs Patali Champika Ranawaka and M.A. Sumanthiran, challenging a Cabinet decision made under the previous government to outsource the e-visa process to two private companies.
Despite the Court’s directive, Illukpitiya failed to comply, leading to his remand on September 25 last year and subsequent conviction for contempt.
The Supreme Court’s decision underscores the judiciary’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring compliance with its orders.