U. L. Karunawathie vs People’s Bank – CA WRIT APPLICATION NO.863/10-2015

In the case between U. L. Karunawathie and People’s Bank and others, the court addressed whether the withholding of a portion of the petitioner’s retirement gratuity by People’s Bank without a formal inquiry contravened the rules of natural justice, and whether such a dispute was amenable to writ jurisdiction. It was held that disputes arising from private contractual arrangements—even with public entities—do not give rise to the grant of writs, particularly where statutory or alternative remedies are available and have not been exhausted. The principle reaffirmed is that writ jurisdiction does not extend to matters grounded solely in contract, relying on established case law. The decision emphasized the necessity to pursue statutory remedies where provided, and clarified the limitation of