Sandesa Ltd. & Another v. Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike – sllr 1980 volume 2 page 158

In the case between Sirimavo Ratwatte Dias Bandaranaike (plaintiff/respondent) and Sandesa Ltd. & Another (defendants/appellants), the court addressed the admissibility of late-stage evidence and breaches of procedural fairness in a defamation action concerning a newspaper article linking political figures to fraudulent dealings with a distress fund. The earlier judgment in favor of the plaintiff was set aside, with a fresh trial ordered, reaffirming the principle that parties must receive fair notice of material evidence and that the integrity of trial procedure must be maintained. Reliance was placed on natural justice doctrines and the necessity for transparency in judicial proceedings, with the court emphasizing that irregularities such as ex parte affidavits and repeated interruptions