The Centre for Environmental Justice (CEJ) has demanded that Attorney General Parinda Ranasinghe (Jnr.) act on the Supreme Court’s directions over the MV X-Press Pearl disaster, and has given him 14 days to reply.
In a letter of demand dated November 2026, the CEJ asked for a written explanation of the steps taken to carry out the directions. These include investigations into offences arising from the disaster and the consideration of criminal proceedings against those responsible.
The CEJ warned that it may seek further legal remedies over what it described as delays in giving effect to the ruling.
The letter follows the Supreme Court judgment of 24 July 2025 in four fundamental rights applications. One of them, SC/FR/168/2021, was filed by the CEJ and its Executive Director, Hemantha Ranjith Sisira Kumara.
The CEJ also said it submitted a Bill of Costs to the Attorney General on 16 January 2026, seeking reimbursement of the expenses of the litigation. It said it has received neither a response nor payment.
Background
In paragraphs 895 and 896 of the judgment, the Supreme Court held that two decisions of the Attorney General infringed rights guaranteed by Article 12(1) of the Constitution. The first was the failure to indict the owners and operators of the ship under Section 26(a) of the Marine Pollution Prevention Act. The second was the decision to file civil proceedings against the ship-owning group in Singapore, rather than in the High Court of Sri Lanka exercising its Admiralty jurisdiction.
In paragraph 897 the Court issued a series of directions. The Attorney General was told to review the investigative material collected by the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and other law enforcement bodies, including the Marine Environment Protection Authority, and to consider criminal proceedings against those identified as responsible.
The CID was directed to carry out further investigations into the matters the Attorney General identifies, and to complete them within three months. The Attorney General must report to the Supreme Court every three months on the investigative and prosecutorial action taken.
The Court also directed the Attorney General to review existing maritime and environmental legislation, in consultation with the relevant authorities and independent experts, and to advise the Government on the reforms needed to bring domestic law in line with international standards.
The X-Press Pearl was a Singapore-registered container ship that caught fire off Colombo in May 2021 and later sank. Debris and plastic pellets from its cargo washed ashore along parts of the western coast.
What it means
Under the judgment, the Attorney General is required to report to the Supreme Court every three months. The CEJ has asked for a written account of the steps taken, and of any outstanding matters or delays, within 14 days.
The legislative review the Court ordered covers maritime and environmental law, the rules that govern how shipping accidents and marine pollution are handled in Sri Lankan waters.
