N.W.P. Wijethunga v. M.D.C. Amarathunga and others – CA 348/2015-2015

In the case between N.W.P. Wijethunga (Petitioner) and M.D.C. Amarathunga, Commissioner General of Labour, Department of Labour, Colombo 05 and others (Respondents), the court addressed the lawfulness of administrative and judicial proceedings relating to Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) contributions for certain alleged employees. The proceedings were examined for compliance with principles of natural justice, specifically whether the Petitioner was deprived of a fair inquiry and the opportunity to submit evidence. It was determined that the decisions and actions of the labour officials, including the certification of arrears and initiation of action in the Magistrate’s Court, were based on irrelevant or insufficient grounds. Consequently, the impugned decisions were quashed, a fresh inqui