Thankarajah vs. University of Jaffna and Others – sllr 2013 volume 2 page 001

In the case between Thankarajah (petitioner) and the University of Jaffna and Others (respondents), the court addressed whether the refusal by the employer to grant a third extension of service constituted an abuse of discretionary power and whether procedural fairness concerning delay, reasons for refusal, and laches impacted the availability of relief by way of writ. It was held that the authority’s discretion to refuse further extensions—particularly in the presence of prior disciplinary issues and significant delay in the petitioner’s application—was lawful. The court reaffirmed the principle that the grant of prerogative writs remains a discretionary remedy, heavily influenced by factors of delay, laches, and futility. Reliance was placed on applicable legal precedents addressing the