Kalubandanage Rushith Thamodya Sarath Kumara vs. Lt. Col. M.R.P. Mayadunne, Principal, Vidyartha Vidyalaya, Kandy – CA WRT/0616/25-2025

In the matter between Kalubandanage Rushith Thamodya Sarath Kumara (Petitioner) and Lt. Col. M.R.P. Mayadunne (Principal, Vidyartha Vidyalaya) along with several education authorities (Respondents), the court addressed whether the refusal to issue a No Objection Letter for participation in rugby, while permitting participation in football, based on school financial commitments, was lawful. The holding established that such a refusal, which relied on financial considerations and selective application of consent, constituted an irrelevant ground and violated procedural fairness and legitimate expectation. The principle reaffirmed was that public bodies must act fairly, giving effect to legitimate expectations created by official representations, and may not invoke extraneous financial factor