Sri Lankan police have issued a warning that loudspeakers and amplification equipment used in breach of Supreme Court directives will be confiscated, with legal proceedings possible under the Penal Code.
Police authorities have announced enforcement measures against the misuse of sound equipment that creates public disturbance, warning that devices may be seized and users prosecuted under Section 261 of the Penal Code for generating a public nuisance.
The police notice references Supreme Court Order No. 38/2005, which grants law enforcement the authority to intervene when sound equipment causes inconvenience to the public or residents. According to the statement, excessive noise has emerged as an increasing health and psychological concern, particularly affecting infants, schoolchildren, elderly individuals, and hospital patients.
Police have outlined permitted operating hours for loudspeakers, generally prohibiting their use between 10 pm and 6 am. However, the notice indicates that religious activities and special occasions may receive exemptions subject to legal requirements. Where permits are granted, users may operate loudspeakers until 10 pm Monday through Thursday, until 1 am on Fridays and Saturdays, and until 12:30 am on Sundays. Police emphasize that these timeframes do not constitute automatic rights and that equipment must not cause disturbance beyond permitted premises, regardless of permit status.
Enforcement will involve police monitoring of permitted events to verify compliance with permit conditions. When complaints are received, officers will investigate the location and instruct violators to cease the activity if noise constitutes a public nuisance. Non-compliance may result in seizure of equipment and legal action. Members of the public experiencing excessive or unlawful noise have been advised to contact their nearest police station or call emergency hotlines 118 or 119.