The Hon. Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law
Hon. Sunil Watagala responded to criticism regarding bail granted on a weekend, stating that Magistrates’ Courts can sit on Saturdays and that Magistrates may grant bail even on Saturdays or Sundays, including in cases involving a hospitalized person. He emphasized that bail is granted by the court, not by the Government or Members of Parliament, and urged Members to understand court procedure before raising such claims.
Verbatim record (translated)
Machine-translated from Sinhala / Tamil / English¶ 01 Hon. Member, Magistrates’ Courts do sit on Saturdays. Even if someone is in hospital, a Magistrate can grant bail. Courts are not closed merely because it is Saturday or Sunday. Who granted this bail? It is the court that granted it. Did I grant bail? Did the Government grant bail? Do not come here to speak about things you do not know. According to court procedure, a Magistrate can order bail even on Saturdays and Sundays. If you do not know that, go to the Aluthkade courts and learn.
Provenance
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- Hansard, Tuesday, 9 September 2025 ·No. 1757672711095734 ·English daily/uncorrected Hansard
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Cite as: The Hon. Sunil Watagala, Attorney-at-Law. 10th Parliament, Parliament of Sri Lanka. Hansard, 9 September 2025. No. 1757672711095734. Politick, https://staging.politick.io/lk/speeches/9755