Warapitiya Rahuia Thero v. Commissioner General of Examinations and Others – sllr 2000 volume 3 page 344

In the case between Warapitiya Rahula Thero and the Commissioner General of Examinations and others, the court addressed whether a member of the clergy is constitutionally entitled to equal treatment in the Public Service, particularly regarding eligibility for the Sri Lanka Administrative Service, under Article 12(1) of the Constitution. The court held that no law or gazette notification disqualified members of the clergy from public service, and the rejection of the petitioner on the basis of clerical status constituted a violation of fundamental rights. This decision reaffirmed the principle of equality before the law under Article 12(1), determining that exclusions must have a clear legal basis. The respondents were ordered to pay Rs. 25,000 in costs, underscoring the Constitution’s pr