Buddhist monk prison robe rules may change under new recommendations allowing a 10-day grace period and robes during court appearances.
COLOMBO — A special committee has recommended changes to Sri Lanka’s prison standing orders governing the treatment of imprisoned Buddhist monks, including a 10-day grace period before prison clothing is issued and permission to wear the robe when leaving prison for court proceedings or other official purposes.
The recommendations have been forwarded to Secretary to the President Dr. Nandika Sanath Kumanayake and the prison authorities as part of an effort to address the dispute between existing prison regulations and religious traditions surrounding the Buddhist robe.
The interim report was formally handed over to the Secretary to the President on October 14 following discussions between President Anura Kumara Dissanayake and the Tri-Nikaya Maha Sangha.
The proposals mark the first administrative step towards revising rules that have become the subject of religious, legal and public debate.
Proposed Change to Prison Standing Orders
The committee has recommended amending Standing Order 356, which currently operates under the existing prison framework, by adding a new provision as Standing Order 356(a).
It has also proposed amendments to Departmental Order 550.
Justice and National Integration Minister Harshana Nanayakkara, Attorney-at-Law, said the recommendations address two principal areas:
- A 10-day grace period: When a Buddhist monk is imprisoned, the Commissioner of Prisons would have 10 days to inform the Department of Buddhist Affairs and take the necessary steps before removing the clothing worn by the monk and issuing prison attire.
- The robe when taken outside prison: An imprisoned monk would be permitted to wear the robe when leaving prison for court proceedings or other requirements. That permission would remain in effect unless the relevant Nikaya or other competent religious authority formally notifies the authorities otherwise.
The proposed changes are intended to provide a formal administrative process for dealing with the religious status and clothing of imprisoned Buddhist monks rather than leaving the issue to immediate prison procedure.
Nanayakkara said a similar approach is expected to be introduced for clergy belonging to other religions, with arrangements adapted to the traditions and requirements of each faith.
Court of Appeal to Hear Petitions Over Gnanasara Thero’s Robe
The administrative recommendations come as the Court of Appeal prepares to consider petitions challenging the decision to remove the robe of Ven. Galagodaaththe Gnanasara Thero while he was in prison.
A three-judge bench comprising Justices Amal Ranaraja, Mahen Gopallawa and Priyantha Fernando has been nominated to hear the petitions.
The court proceedings are separate from the committee’s administrative recommendations, but both developments concern the broader question of how prison regulations should operate when they intersect with the religious status of ordained clergy.
The petitions will place the legality of the disputed decision before the judiciary, while the committee’s recommendations seek to clarify how similar situations should be handled administratively in future.
“Justice for the Robe” Walk Approaches Colombo
Public attention has also intensified through the “Justice for the Robe – National Resolution Offering and Freedom Walk”, which began in Kandy.
The march reached Kadawatha from Nittambuwa on October 14 and is scheduled to arrive in Colombo on October 15.
The campaign has brought additional attention to the dispute over the treatment of Buddhist monks in custody and the status of the robe under prison procedures.
With the committee’s recommendations now submitted, the Court of Appeal preparing to hear the petitions and the protest march nearing Colombo, the question of how Sri Lanka balances prison administration with religious identity has moved simultaneously into the administrative, judicial and public arenas.
The immediate next step will be whether the proposed amendments to Standing Order 356 and Departmental Order 550 are formally adopted and implemented by the relevant authorities.
