Dhanapala v. Dissanayake, Provincial Director of Education and Others – sllr 1997 volume 1 page 400

In the case between Dhanapala (petitioner) and Dissanayake, Provincial Director of Education, and other respondents, the court addressed whether the petitioner’s transfer from the post of Deputy Director of Education constituted a violation of fundamental rights under Article 12(1) of the Constitution. It was held that the petitioner did not belong to the provincial public service nor was seconded, but fell within a third category whose transfers were governed by the Public Service Commission. The judgment established that the transfer was valid and did not infringe constitutional protections or legitimate expectations. This outcome reaffirmed the principle that only specific classes of officers are subject to provincial transfer regimes, relying on administrative circulars, statutory inte