President, Government Nursing Officers Union, Jaffna Teaching Hospital Branch, Jaffna v. Sivsnathan Yamunanantha, Medical Officer In Charge, Out Patient Department, Jaffna Teaching Hospital Branch, Jaffna – CA PHC/APN/116/2016-2016

In the case between President and Secretary of the Government Nursing Officers Union, Jaffna Teaching Hospital Branch, Jaffna (Respondent Petitioners) and Sivasnathan Yamunanantha, Medical Officer In Charge, Out Patient Department, Jaffna Teaching Hospital Branch, Jaffna (Petitioner Respondent), the court addressed whether writs of certiorari and mandamus could be issued to restrain a trade union from strike action and compel continued work. It was held that the Nursing Officers Union, being a private entity and not a public body or state instrumentality, is not subject to a writ of mandamus concerning internal union decisions such as strike actions. The judgment reaffirmed the legal principle that mandamus will lie only against public bodies owing legal duties, relying on established prec