Abeykoon Mudiyanselage Mahinda Abeykoon vs Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister of Public Administration – CA/WRIT/384/23-2024

In the case between Abeykoon Mudiyanselage Mahinda Abeykoon (Plaintiff) and Dinesh Gunawardena, Minister, and others (Defendants/Respondents), the court addressed whether the petitioner was entitled to salary for the period following removal from office due to a criminal conviction and whether reinstatement as Chairman of the Provincial Council could be ordered by writ of mandamus. It was held that multiple procedural and substantive deficiencies, including undue delay, suppression of material facts, failure to join necessary parties, and constitutional disqualifications, barred relief. The principle was reaffirmed that a convicted person, even if the sentence is suspended, is constitutionally disqualified from holding office or receiving related emoluments. The decision relied on constitu