BASL Intervention: A Milestone Toward Ending University Ragging ⚖️

The Bar Association of Sri Lanka (BASL) has initiated a landmark Fundamental Rights (FR) petition (SC/FR/101/2025) before the Supreme Court, challenging the systemic failure to prevent violent ragging in higher education. • The Incident: The petition follows the tragic suicide of Charith Dilshan, a second-year student at Sabaragamuwa University, after a brutal and degrading ragging ordeal on 26 April 2025. • Legal Stand: The BASL argues that ragging is a violation of Article 11 (freedom from torture) and Article 12(1) (equal protection of the law), rather than a mere "student tradition." • Supreme Court Action: The Court has granted leave to proceed and issued 11 interim orders. These include directives to the IGP and University Grants Commission (UGC) to report on the status of investigations and the enforcement of the Anti-Ragging Act No. 20 of 1998. • Systemic Accountability: The case names 69 respondents, including university officials and state authorities, addressing long-standing institutional "inertia" and the normalization of student violence. • Future Outlook: Beyond justice for the victim, the initiative seeks a national anti-ragging strategy and mandatory safety guidelines to protect the ICT/BPM and academic talent pools essential for Sri Lanka’s future human capital.