Asiabike Industrial Limited vs Epa Arachchige Kumudu Upendra Premachandra – SC APPEAL NO 134/2023-2025

The court addressed the issue of the correct computation of the statutory time limit for filing an appeal from a Labour Tribunal award, given discrepancies among Sinhala, Tamil, and English texts of the relevant statute. It was held that the Sinhala text prevails in the event of inconsistency, pursuant to constitutional provisions and legislative intent, thereby requiring exclusion of only Sundays and Poya Days when computing the appeal period. The resultant effect was that the petition of appeal was out of time, and the High Court’s contrary interpretation—based on the English and Tamil texts, which excluded Public Holidays—was set aside. The decision emphasized the supremacy of the Sinhala text under Article 23(1) of the Constitution and underscored the need for uniformity and legislativ