he Sri Lankan president Gotabaya Rajapaksha declared the emergency alert on August 30th, 2021. The
reason behind this decision is to control the food prices and to prevent hoarding amid shortages of a
few staples. The opposition legislators argued that the emergency alert is not necessary as we have got
other laws and can maintain essential supplies. The rules of emergency can be misused to stifle critics.
During the emergency alert the people without warrants, seize property, enter and search any premises,
and suspension of laws and issues of orders cannot be questioned or taken any actions in court. The
officials who issue such orders are also immune from lawsuits.
By the 225 member parliament, the constitution had stated that it should get approved within 14-days.
The government of Sri Lanka said that they had maximized the efforts to sue the normal laws but the
court cases had been filed and delayed its filling due to the pandemic crisis. The government had taken
this emergency decision only because other decisions won’t work on it and it doesn’t intend to use the
emergency regulations against opponents. Said the ruling party legislators.
Past 50 years the government of Sri Lanka has been governed under a state of emergency. Authorities
have often accused the rules of suppressing opponents.
Reasons to declare the emergency alert –
The below points give us clear information regarding the emergency alert declared in Sri Lanka.
● The country has faced shortages of essential items such as sugar, milk powder, and cooking oil
or gas. The hoarders had artificially created the shortages, said the government.
● They were also facing a crisis of foreign exchange. This has been triggered by a drop in tourism
and exports, and heavy loan repayments.
The above two main reasons for the declaration of a state of emergency in Sri Lanka.
The Parliament of Sri Lanka approves the state emergency as it runs out of food and forex reserves
