Vasudeva Nanayakkara v. K.N. Choksy, Karu Jayasuriya, Ranil Wickremesinghe, and others – SC FR APPLICATION NO. 209/2007-2009

Brief
In Vasudeva Nanayakkara v. K.N. Choksy, PC, MP & Others, the Supreme Court addressed whether requiring the 8th respondent-petitioner, Dr. P.B. Jayasundera, to file an affidavit renouncing future public office unlawfully restricted the right to engage in a lawful occupation as protected by Article 14(1)(g) of the Constitution. The proceedings focused on the constitutional limits for restricting the right to employment and the jurisdiction of the Court concerning high-level governmental appointments. The findings emphasized that fundamental rights to work may only be limited within the framework provided by Article 15(5) and that the appointment of Secretaries is strictly within the President’s domain, not subject to judicial direction in the manner sought. The holding reaffirmed that