K. Dinesh Dayajith Vs. Hon. Attorney General – CA PHC 72/2005-2004

In the case between the Hon. Attorney General, Attorney General’s Department, Colombo 12 (Plaintiff-Respondent), and K. Dinesh Dayajith, Ambalangoda (Defendant-Petitioner), the court addressed the issue of whether the Court of Appeal has jurisdiction to entertain the defendant-petitioner’s appeal. It was held that the Court of Appeal lacks jurisdiction to hear the appeal, reaffirming the principle that jurisdictional limits established by precedent must be strictly adhered to. Reliance was placed on the decision in Wickramasinghe vs. OIC Ampara (2004 (1) SLR pg 257), emphasizing the binding nature of judicial precedent and the consequent dismissal of appeals brought outside the scope of the court’s jurisdiction.

K.T. Chitrasiri J. — The findings established that the precedent set in Wick