Samadhi Anuranga Gamlath vs Theshara Jayasinghe – CA WRIT/0146-2020-2023

In the case between Samadhi Anuranga Gamlath (Plaintiff) and Theshara Jayasinghe, National Youth Services Council, and others (Defendants), the court addressed whether the annulment of the student representative election for the Youth Parliament by the National Youth Services Council was subject to judicial review via writ of certiorari and mandamus. It was held that the annulment decision did not fall within the scope of statutory power permitting such remedy, as no statutory basis supported the cancellation, and the process in question was non-statutory. The principle reaffirmed is that public law remedies under Article 140 of the Constitution are not available in the absence of a statutory underpinning for the contested decision. Reliance was placed on statutory interpretation, preceden