Mohamed Mohideen Hassen Et Al. v. N.S.Peiris Et Al. – sllr 1982 volume 1 page 195

In the matter of Trustees of the Bandarawela Jumma Mosque (Mohamed Mohideen Hassen et al) versus N. S. Peiris (Chairman of the Rent Board) and others, the court examined the propriety of proceedings before the Rent Board amidst allegations of bias. It was held that the personal interest of the Rent Board’s Chairman—who occupied adjacent property owned by the petitioners—constituted a real likelihood of bias, rendering the Rent Board’s order void. The principle reaffirmed is that administrative decisions must not only be unbiased but must manifestly appear to be so, with reliance placed on authorities including Metropolitan Properties Co. v. Lannon and In Re Ratnagopal. This judgment reinforces the necessity for strict adherence to the rule against bias to ensure public confidence in quasi-