Priyantha Waniga Chinthamani Mohotti and 22 others vs Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka and 4 others – 160/2019-2022

In the case between Priyantha Waniga Chinthamani Mohotti and others (Petitioners) and the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka and others (Respondents), the court addressed whether the relationship between the Petitioners and the Mahaweli Authority constituted a contractual engagement or one with a statutory character, thus allowing for judicial review through writ jurisdiction. The court determined that the employment was purely contractual and not of a statutory nature; as a result, writ jurisdiction could not be invoked. This principle was reaffirmed with reliance on statutory provisions under the Mahaweli Authority Act and supporting case law, establishing that contractual employment disputes are not amenable to judicial review absent a statutory foundation. The decision emphasized that mer