S.A.W. de Silva v. Saliya W. Mathew et al. – SC F.R. 64/2009-2014

In the case between the petitioners (Enterprise Promotion Managers – Executive Grade V at the Industrial Development Board) and the respondents (including officers and members of the Salaries and Cadres Commission), the court addressed the issue of whether reclassifying the petitioners from an executive grade to “Management Assistants” violated their fundamental rights under Article 12(1) of the Constitution. It was determined that the reclassification constituted a discriminatory demotion, unjustifiably lowering the petitioners’ status and impairing promotional prospects. The court reaffirmed the principle that public servants are protected from arbitrary and discriminatory changes to their employment status. This decision relied on constitutional and administrative law principles, emphas