The government of Australia has quashed a court case filed against President Mahinda Rajapaksa in the Melbourne Magistrates Court by Arunachalam Jegatheeswaran,a known LTTE operative based in Australia.

In a letter addressed to Sri Lanka's High Commissioner to Australia, Admiral Thisara Samarasinghe on October 27th, the Attorney General's Department of Australia has informed that, Australia has and will continue to comply with international obligations in this matter and as a result the Attorney General has considered and declined to proceed with the court case as the continuation of the proceedings against President Rajapaksa would be in breach of domestic law and Australia's obligations under International Law.

It has been further noted that Commonwealths Laws extended immunities to heads of state and heads of diplomatic missions, representing the respective countries abroad. Those immunities include personal inviolability, including from any form of arrest or detention and immunity from the criminal jurisdiction of the receiving state.

President Rajapaksa is currently visiting Perth, Australia to attend the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting scheduled for October 28 – 30.

Meanwhile, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard making a statement to the press on this issues has stated that "no such legal action can be taken on an issues like this without the consent of the Federal Attorney General and that the Attorney General has not received any request in relation to this matter."

High Commissioner Samarasinghe, in responding to the court case welcomed the Australian government's decision and appreciated the stand taken by the Australian Prime Minister and the Attorney General in this regard.