Sri Lanka, Sept. 10 -- The Supreme Court today ruled that former President Maithripala Sirisena's decision to grant a presidential pardon to Bodu Bala Sena (BBS) General Secretary Ven. Galagoda Atte Gnanasara Thera was arbitrary and invalid in law.

A three-judge bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Janak De Silva, delivered the judgment in response to fundamental rights petitions filed by the Centre for Policy Alternatives (CPA) and Sandhya Ekneligoda, the wife of missing journalist Prageeth Ekneligoda, challenging former President Sirisena's decision to grant the pardon.

Gnanasara Thera was sentenced to six years in prison after being found guilty of contempt of court over his conduct during a court hearing at the Homagama Ma...