Weragoda v. Dayananda Dissanayake and Others – sllr 2006 volume 2 page 197

In the case between the General Secretary of the United National Party (petitioner) and Dayananda Dissanayake (first respondent) along with the returning officer and others, the court addressed whether the rejection of a party’s nomination paper, on the ground that one youth nominee failed to satisfy the statutory minimum age of 18 years at the relevant date, was legally justified. The court held that the returning officer acted within statutory authority in rejecting the nomination under the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance, specifically referencing sections 28(1A), 31(1)(bb), and 89. It was reaffirmed that statutory requirements, where expressed in clear terms, must be strictly followed and that administrative bodies must provide reasoned decisions to facilitate review and procedura