Hetti Arachchige Sunil Jayantha vs. A.Y. Abeywardhana – SC FR APPLICATION 235/2012-2024

In Hetti Arachchige Sunil Jayantha v. A.Y. Abeywardhana and Others, the Supreme Court addressed the lawfulness of the seizure and detention of motorcycle No. UZ 4238 (WP) by a Department of Motor Traffic official during a driving test, and the alleged violation of the petitioner’s fundamental rights under Article 12(1) of the Constitution. It was held that the act of seizure and detention was unlawful and amounted to an infringement of the petitioner’s constitutional rights, reaffirming the principle that administrative authorities must act within the scope of their legal powers and not infringe on rights without lawful authority. Reliance was placed on statutory definitions, administrative regulations, and constitutional provisions to support this conclusion, emphasizing the necessity for