Sri Lanka's former President Mahinda Rajapaksa has faced a major setback as the Supreme Court dismissed his petition seeking the reinstatement of his full security detail. The 80-year-old leader had challenged the government’s decision to reduce his security, asserting that his life was at risk due to his pivotal role in ending Sri Lanka’s decades-long civil war.

Security Reduction and Government’s Justification

In December 2024, the Sri Lankan government scaled down Rajapaksa’s security, citing cost-cutting measures aimed at reducing government expenditure.

• Previously, 350 security personnel were assigned to him.
• This number has now been reduced to just 60.

Rajapaksa’s Concerns Over Security

In his January 2025 petition, Rajapaksa argued that he remains a high-risk target due to his role in defeating the LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) in 2009.

• The LTTE was a militant separatist group that fought for an independent Tamil state in Sri Lanka.
• Rajapaksa claimed that reducing his security puts his life in danger, given the history of conflicts.

Despite his concerns, the Supreme Court refused to consider his case and upheld the government's decision.