Pathiraja Mudiyanselage Abeysinghe vs Assistant Commissioner of Co-operative Development and Others – CA PHC 57/2016-2016

In the case between Pathiraja Mudiyanselage Abeysinghe Pathiraja and the Seemasahitha Wariyapola Multi-Purpose Co-operative Society Ltd. (with the Assistant Commissioner of Co-operative Development as a key party), the court addressed whether the Registrar, under section 59(1)(c) of the Co-operative Societies Act No. 05 of 1972 (as amended), is authorized to issue a certificate to a Magistrate for recovery of both principal and interest as specified in an arbitral award, or only the principal sum. It was held that the phrase “amount due” encompasses principal, costs, and interest, reaffirming the principle that statutory provisions ought to be interpreted in a manner consistent with legislative intent and the Act’s overall scheme. This decision relied on statutory interpretation, relevant