Former President Maithripala Sirisena, who was found responsible for the security lapses that led to the tragic Easter Sunday attacks in Sri Lanka, has approached the Supreme Court seeking relief regarding the compensation he was ordered to pay to the victims.

In a landmark decision earlier this year, the Supreme Court had ruled that Sirisena must pay Rs 100 million as compensation to the victims and their families. The court deemed Sirisena accountable for the security failures that allowed the devastating attacks to take place on April 21, 2019, resulting in the loss of hundreds of innocent lives.

During the court hearing today, Sirisena informed the bench that he had already paid Rs 15 million of the stipulated amount. He sought permission from the court to pay the remaining sum in 10 installments, citing financial constraints.