H. D Chaminda and others vs. W.P.C.Wickramaratne and others – CA WRIT/158/20-2022

In the case between H. D. Chaminda and others (Petitioners) and W.P.C. Wickramaratne (Auditor General), LTL Holdings (Pvt) Ltd., Ceylon Electricity Board, and others (Respondents), the court addressed whether the Auditor General possessed legal jurisdiction under Article 154(1) of the Constitution, as amended by the 19th and 20th Amendments, to audit the accounts of LTL Holdings (Pvt) Ltd. and several related companies. The primary issue centered on the duration of the Auditor General’s jurisdiction and whether interim orders restricting such audits should remain in force. It was determined that the Auditor General’s authority to audit these companies would only arise from the date of the 20th Amendment’s enactment (29/10/2020), not retroactively. In view of the Petitioners’ acceptance of