Public decency laws outlaw nudity in Sri Lanka

18 July 2025 08:36 am Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 10 Bookmark

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Colombo, July 18 (Daily Mirror) - In Sri Lanka, public nudity for both men and women is prohibited under several laws and regulations. Public nudity remains strictly prohibited under a combination of criminal statutes and public morality laws. The legal framework governing this issue reinforces the country’s cultural values and stance on decency and public behaviour, with several provisions outlining punishments for acts deemed indecent or disruptive in public spaces.

One of the primary legislative instruments addressing public behaviour is the Vagrants Ordinance No. 4 of 1841, which contains multiple provisions relevant to public nudity and indecency. Under Section 2 of the Ordinance, individuals behaving in a “riotous or disorderly manner” in any public street or highway are liable to a fine. While this provision broadly addresses disorderly conduct, it provides a foundation for penalizing behaviour deemed inappropriate in public settings.

More explicitly, Section 7(1)(b) of the Vagrants Ordinance criminalizes acts of gross indecency in public. The section states:

“Any person found committing any act of gross indecency, or found behaving with gross indecency, in or about any public place shall be liable on summary conviction to imprisonment of either description for a period not exceeding six months, or to a fine not exceeding one hundred rupees, or to both.”

These provisions are frequently invoked by law enforcement to take action against acts such as public nudity, regardless of the gender of the individual involved.

Recently, the Kadugannawa Police arrested and produced in court a young man who was riding a motorcycle naked along the Colombo-Kandy Road.

In addition, the Obscene Publications (Amendment) Act, No. 22 of 1983 further outlines offenses relating to the publication, distribution, and display of obscene material in public. While focused on media and publications, the Act reflects the broader public policy of discouraging obscenity and protecting societal morals.

The Penal Code of Sri Lanka also reinforces this legal stance through Section 261, which defines public nuisance. According to the Code:

“A person is guilty of a public nuisance who does any act, or is guilty of an illegal omission, which causes any common injury, danger, or annoyance to the public... A public nuisance is not excused on the ground that it causes some convenience or advantage.”

This provision emphasizes that even if a particular act, such as public nudity may be perceived by some as a form of expression or comfort, it remains punishable if it disturbs public order or morality.

Comments - 10

Sachi Kuhananthan MD Friday, 18 July 2025 09:40 AM

You can say goodbye to most of the tourism if nudity is prohibited

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IF TOURISTS WANT TO BARE THEMSELVES, LET THE TOURIST BOARD AND THE GOVT DISCUSS THE POSSIBILITY OF OPENING A NUDIST BEACH SPECIFIED ALLOCATED AREA IN THE EAST OR WHEREVER!!. Friday, 18 July 2025 03:10 PM

YOU ARE WRONG, SOME COUNTRIES ABROAD HAVE SPECIAL ALLOCATED BEACHES FOR THOSE WANTING TO WALK ABOUT OR HAVE A SWIN IN THE NUDE, KNOWN AS NUDIST BEACHES WHERE THEY CAN GO AND SPENDS HOURS ON END NUDE BOTH MALE AND FEMALE. TOURISTS KNOWN OUR LAWS, IF THAT IS THE CASE OF TOURISTS WANTING TO GO NUDE AND OR TOPLESS/BOTTOMLESS THEY CAN LOBBY THE GOVT TO OPEN A NUDIST BEACH SOMEWHERE IN THE EAST OR WHEREEVER A SUITABLE PLACE IS LOCATED. WE SIMPLY CANNOT HAVE PEOPLE TOPLESS AND OR BOTTOMLESS MOVING AROUND IN AREAS IN AND AROUND ALL HOTELS AND OR BEACHES. AS FOR THE MALE TURNED WOMAN, AS FAR AS EXPOSURE IS CONCERNED HE HAD FEMALE BREASTS EXPOSED AND THAT IS A NO NO, UNLESS IN A SPECIFIED ALLOCATED AREA, LIKE THEY HAVE IN SOME COUNTRIES. NO WAY WOULD HE/SHE BE ABLE TO BARE HIS BREASTS IN AREAS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC, SO WHY DO IT HERE??.

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Just saying Friday, 18 July 2025 05:31 PM

What a ridiculous statement! Better to have a better quality of tourist than the ones who are cheap exhibitionists! What next? Advocate sale of narcotics to keep tourists happy??

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Gert Jan, the Netherlands Friday, 18 July 2025 10:00 AM

So the British Victorian law and mentally still rules in Sri Lanka. Also when it comes to the discrimination of the LGBT community. I thought Sri Lanka is not a British colony anymore? Why don't you go back to the cultural situation before colonized Ceylon, patriots?

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Sarath Gooneratne Friday, 18 July 2025 10:10 AM

Yes , you can't have the cake and eat it as the saying goes. If you want to ban self expression, nudity etc; then might as well say that we don't want tourism and tourists coming in to Sri lanka with hard currency and filling our tourist hotels and spending in dollars . Decide what the Government and people want. If you want to keep your culture just say good bye to tourism and call it a day. Let us start agriculture and animal farming instead.

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Dr.Herath Friday, 18 July 2025 10:17 AM

define "decency" then we will discuss the rest. stupidity to the highest order!!

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Rip Winkle Friday, 18 July 2025 10:53 AM

Where were these 'cultural values' before the British ruled against our women walking around topless?

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Cassie Friday, 18 July 2025 11:35 AM

Very good law. Keep it please. We the public want to preserver our modesty and dignity instead of losing it to a small bunch of ultra liberal activists who want to ape Hollywood values.

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M Fernando Friday, 18 July 2025 02:40 PM

We have topless tourists from Hikkaduwa to Arugam Bay and beyond. Only difference is they are white and no one raises hue and cry about them. Only if non white people do it, we get very offended from abroad where these things are normal and accepted. Why the double standard and hypocrisy?

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Lanka Friday, 18 July 2025 01:04 PM

This is a good law and it protects the public and we should respect this law and let us create a good society so that next generations will have good life : don’t need bad of alien culture

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