A special drive launched at Mihintale aims to gather five million signatures urging President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to grant a new presidential pardon to the Bodu Bala Sena leader after the Supreme Court voided his earlier clemency.
A campaign to collect five million signatures seeking a presidential pardon for Venerable Galagoda Aththe Gnanasara Thero commenced on 26 September 2026 at the sacred premises of Mihintale in Sri Lanka’s North Central Province. The initiative, supported by senior members of the Maha Sangha, comes in the wake of a landmark Supreme Court ruling that invalidated a previous pardon granted to the controversial Buddhist monk.
The Chief Incumbent of Mihintale Rajamaha Viharaya, Venerable Walawahengunawewe Dhammaratana Thero, along with other members of the Maha Sangha, participated in the initial signing of the petition. The chief incumbent appealed directly to President Anura Kumara Dissanayake to consider granting a fresh presidential pardon, invoking Mihintale’s historical association with the concept of sanctuary. Signatures collected through the campaign are expected to be presented first to the Chief Prelates before being submitted to the President.
Supreme Court Ruling Nullifies Earlier Pardon
Gnanasara Thero, General Secretary of the Bodu Bala Sena (BBS), a Sinhalese Buddhist nationalist organisation, was sentenced to six years in prison for contempt of court. The conviction stemmed from his conduct at the Homagama Magistrate’s Court in January 2016, where he disrupted proceedings related to the disappearance of political cartoonist and journalist Prageeth Eknaligoda and intimidated the journalist’s wife, Sandya Eknaligoda. The Court of Appeal convicted him in 2018, and the Supreme Court upheld the verdict later that year. He had served less than a year when then-President Maithripala Sirisena granted him a presidential pardon in May 2019.
On 10 September 2026, a three-judge Supreme Court bench led by Justice Janak de Silva ruled that the 2019 pardon was “arbitrary and invalid,” violating the public trust and the principles of natural justice. The court held that while Article 34 of the Constitution grants the President discretionary power to issue pardons, this power is held in trust for the people and remains subject to judicial review.
The bench found that Sirisena had effectively approved a recommendation without independently considering the relevant material. The ruling reinstated the original sentence and ordered Gnanasara Thero’s return to prison. Fundamental rights petitions challenging the pardon had been filed by the Centre for Policy Alternatives and Sandya Eknaligoda.
Background of a Divisive Figure
Gnanasara Thero rose to prominence after co-founding the Bodu Bala Sena in 2012. The organisation quickly became known for its ultranationalist rhetoric and campaigns that critics say fuelled anti-Muslim sentiment in the years following the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war in 2009. He has faced multiple legal challenges over the years, including convictions and sentences related to statements deemed insulting to Islam and disruptive of communal harmony. In one case, the Colombo High Court upheld a nine-month prison sentence and fine for remarks made at a 2016 press conference. In another, he received a four-year rigorous imprisonment term in 2024 over anti-Islamic comments, though he was later granted bail pending appeals.
The monk has maintained close ties with the Rajapaksa political family in the past. During Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s presidency, he was appointed to a presidential task force on legal reforms, a move that drew criticism from rights groups. Supporters view him as a defender of Buddhism and national identity; detractors accuse him of promoting division and undermining inter-religious harmony.
Recent Developments and Appeals for Clemency
Following the Supreme Court ruling, Gnanasara Thero has not returned to custody. He appeared publicly at the launch of his book Navayay Paha Vikurthiya in Colombo on 20 September 2026, where he appealed for a fresh pardon from President Dissanayake. He questioned why he should bear the consequences of alleged procedural errors in the earlier pardon process and urged senior Buddhist monks to intercede on his behalf. “If officials made a mistake in the procedure, why am I being punished?” he asked. He expressed readiness to respect the law while seeking the opportunity to continue religious activities.
On 24 September, he missed a hearing at the Colombo Chief Magistrate’s Court on medical grounds. His counsel informed the court that the monk had felt faint while travelling to the hearing after visiting a hospital and was referred for treatment. The case in question involves the 2016 statements on Islam, with an appeal scheduled for February 2027.
Political and Social Context
The signature campaign unfolds against the backdrop of Sri Lanka’s evolving political landscape under President Anura Kumara Dissanayake’s administration, which came to power promising accountability and an end to preferential treatment for the powerful. The Supreme Court judgment itself left open the possibility of a future lawful pardon, provided it follows proper procedure and independent consideration of all relevant factors. Any new clemency would need to avoid the procedural flaws that invalidated the 2019 decision.
Rights advocates and civil society groups have long argued that selective use of presidential pardons risks eroding the rule of law and public trust in institutions. At the same time, sections of the Buddhist clergy and nationalist supporters frame the current effort as a matter of religious solidarity and correction of what they see as an overreach. The campaign’s organisers hope the scale of signatures – targeting five million – will demonstrate broad public support and place moral pressure on the executive.
Broader Implications for Rule of Law
The case highlights ongoing tensions in Sri Lanka between majoritarian sentiments, minority rights, and judicial independence. Gnanasara Thero’s history of provocative statements and the BBS’s association with episodes of communal tension, including violence in Aluthgama in 2014, continue to polarise opinion. The disappearance of Prageeth Eknaligoda remains unresolved more than a decade and a half later, underscoring persistent accountability gaps in cases involving state actors.
As the signature drive gathers momentum from Mihintale – a site of profound historical and religious significance – the petition will test the new government’s approach to high-profile clemency requests. Whether the campaign succeeds in influencing presidential action remains to be seen, but it has already reignited national debate on the limits of executive power, the role of the Sangha in public life, and the delicate balance between justice and reconciliation in post-war Sri Lanka.
The coming weeks will reveal how the collected signatures are received by the Chief Prelates and, ultimately, by the President’s office. For now, the initiative stands as an organised expression of support for one of the country’s most polarising religious figures at a moment when the courts have reasserted the principle that even presidential pardons must adhere to constitutional bounds.
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