M.P.G.N.P. Cooray vs Ceylon Petroleum Corporation – SC FR 38/14-2025

The court addressed the issue of whether the external recruitment of Management Trainees-Grade A7, as advertised in December 2013, and the failure to promote the Petitioners to Executive Grade, violated the Petitioners’ fundamental rights under Article 12(1) of the Constitution. It was held that no violation of fundamental rights occurred, as the Petitioners were subsequently promoted and no evidence existed of recruitment under the disputed advertisement. The principle reaffirmed was that claims of fundamental rights breaches must be supported by clear evidence, especially regarding alleged arbitrariness in public sector recruitment or promotion. The decision relied on the constitutional guarantee of equality (Article 12(1)) and emphasized the necessity of substantiating claims of executi