Balapitiyage Liyanage Dixon vs. Dayananda Dissanayake et al. – CA 137/2011-2011

In the case between Balapitiyage Liyanage Dixon and Dayananda Dissanayake, Commissioner of Elections, along with additional officials connected to the Seruvila Pradeshiya Sabha election, the court addressed the validity of the Returning Officer’s rejection of a nomination paper on the ground that it lacked the name of the Pradeshiya Sabha at its top. It was held that such an omission did not constitute a ground for rejection under section 31(1) of the Local Authorities Elections Ordinance, and the action of the Returning Officer was ultra vires. The key principle reaffirmed is that electoral acts by officials must strictly adhere to express statutory grounds, and technical errors outside the scope of prescribed criteria cannot be used to deny electoral participation. Writs of certiorari an