Azath Salley v. Colombo Municipal Council And Others – sllr 2009 volume 1 page 365

In the case between Azath Salley (Plaintiff, a former Deputy Mayor and rate-payer of the Colombo Municipal Council) and the Colombo Municipal Council and others (Defendants, including administrative respondents), the court addressed the issue of the alleged violation of fundamental rights guaranteed by Article 12(1) of the Constitution. The complaints focused on the failure of authorities to remove unauthorized advertising hoardings and the purportedly unlawful granting and regulation of hoarding approvals, as well as subsequent administrative actions and guidelines. It was held that a liberal and purposive interpretation of constitutional provisions is essential to giving effect to the fundamental rights protections, reinforcing the principle that access to judicial remedies must not be h