In a landmark development for gender equality, women in Sri Lanka can now legally purchase liquor from any licensed outlet, following the issuance of a new government gazette that lifts longstanding restrictions on female access to alcohol-related industries and retail spaces.
According to a report by the Daily Mirror, this significant change comes after a Fundamental Rights petition filed by several women’s rights activists and organizations was concluded before the Supreme Court. The petition, originally filed in 2018, challenged a previous gazette notification that had barred women from purchasing liquor at licensed premises, working in establishments involved in alcohol production, or consuming alcohol at retail venues.
The Supreme Court was informed that the petitioners would not proceed further with the application in light of the new gazette notification, which revokes the discriminatory restrictions. A three-judge bench comprising Justices S. Thurairaja, Mahinda Samayawardhena, and Menaka Wijesundera accordingly dismissed the case.
The earlier regulation—Gazette Extraordinary No. 2054-42, issued in January 2018 by then Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera—was criticized by petitioners, including the Women & Media Collective and Centre for Women’s Research (CENWOR), as a violation of constitutional guarantees under Articles 12(1), 12(2), and 14(1)(g), which safeguard equality and freedom of employment.
This legal development not only reverses a previously controversial policy but also reinforces the principle of equal treatment under the law for women, marking a progressive step toward eliminating gender-based discrimination in Sri Lanka.
