The release of the convicted murderer Duminda Silva is a reckless act that will have lasting consequences on the social organization of Sri Lanka and the social consciousness of the Sri Lankan people. The damage this will do to the functioning of a system of administration of the country is incalculable. The effect on the minds of people in terms of their assessments of themselves and the nature and the quality of their citizenship will also be drastic. A cynic may argue that the only way for Sri Lanka to appear to be respecting the principle of equality before law after this reckless release is to amend the Penal Code by reducing the maximum sentence for murder to be six years. Perhaps many other laws will have to be amended in keeping with such change thereby diminishing the importance held by the high courts in holding of criminal trials. If the sentence for murder is going to a maximum of six years, then accordingly these cases could be tried in the magistrate courts themselves as the distinction between serious crimes and simple offenses will no longer hold valid. Besides, the roles of Appeal Courts and the Supreme Courts will be greatly diminished when the conviction held after a long process of fair trial could be drastically changed by outsiders who do not hold any judicial power. Political power or administrative power could override judicial power. When that happens, the entire fabric on which the Sri Lankan legal system is held together will also be diminished.