Sulochana Perera vs Commissioner of Co-Operative Development (Western Province) and Another – sllr 2019 volume 2 page 193

In the case between Sulochana Perera (Plaintiff) and the Commissioner of Co-Operative Development (Western Province) and another (Defendants), the court addressed the issue of whether disqualification from election under Rule 21(i)(e) of the Co-Operative Societies Rules, 1973 was appropriate when the underlying loan was repaid prior to the election. The court held that such disqualification should apply only for the three months immediately preceding the election issue, reaffirming the principle that legislative intent is to maintain integrity for elected committee members without imposing perpetual disqualification. This decision relied on principles of statutory interpretation and relevant case precedents, emphasizing that disqualification provisions demand a contextual reading to avoid