Rule by emergency: Sri Lanka's postcolonial constitutional experience.

The article focuses on the social and political implications of the use of emergency powers and the Prevention of Terrorism Act (PTA) to combat the terrorist activities in Sri Lanka. It presents an overview of the regulations declared under the state of emergency, and discusses the political history behind emergency regulations as well the process of enacting emergency regulations. It mentions that Sri Lanka's government has a presidential-parliamentary system, and the president may proclaim a state of emergency under the Public Security Ordinance of 1947 (PSO) and issue emergency regulations. It discusses the powers of search, arrest and detention conferred on the national security forces under the Emergency Miscellaneous Provisions and Powers Regulations (EMPPR).