S.H. Hemapala and others vs Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Labour Relations – CA WRIT APPLICATION NO: 215/2018-2020

In the case between S.H. Hemapala and others (former employees of the Ceylon Electricity Board) and the Secretary, Ministry of Labour and Labour Relations and others, the court addressed whether service with the Department of Government Electrical Undertakings could be aggregated with CEB service to entitle certain benefits for reaching forty years’ employment as of 1 November 2009. The court held that only those Petitioners whose uninterrupted service as recorded by the CEB’s own documents amounted to forty years as of the relevant date were entitled to such recognition, reaffirming that the burden of proving eligible service rests with the claimants and that arbitral awards must be just and equitable. This decision relied on statutory interpretations under the CEB Act and the approach to