Liyanapathirana and Another v. Peoples Bank and Others – sllr 1993 volume 1 page 358

The case between LIYANAPATHIRANA AND ANOTHER (plaintiffs) and PEOPLES BANK AND OTHERS (defendants) addressed whether promotion policies based on ethnic ratios, issued through administrative circulars, violated fundamental rights under Article 12(1) of the Constitution by distinguishing employees into separate classes and excluding certain petitioners from later promotions. It was held that the differentiation arising from the application of separate classes due to previous promotions under ethnic quotas did not constitute discrimination and was not irrational under Article 12(1). This principle reaffirmed that reasonable classification within employment promotion schemes is permitted when based on objective differentiators. The decision relied upon the terms of the circulars and prior cons