Abeywardena v. Ajith De Silva – sllr 1998 volume 1 page 134

In the case between Abeywardene (the petitioner) and Ajith De Silva (the respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether a direct appeal lies to the Supreme Court from a High Court order exercised in its revisionary jurisdiction. It was held that such an appeal does not lie directly to the Supreme Court; instead, appeals must first proceed to the Court of Appeal. This holding reaffirmed the principle that appellate and revisionary jurisdictions are distinct, and the avenue for appeal from revisionary decisions of the High Court is statutorily regulated. The decision relied upon the interpretation of the High Court of the Provinces (Special Provisions) Act No. 19 of 1990 and relevant constitutional articles, emphasizing that statutory provisions must be strictly followed in appellate