Ragupathi Upulwan Serasinghe vs. M.D. Ranjani Jayakody, Director General, Department of Sports Development and others – CA WRIT/315/2014-2016

In the case between Ragupathi Upulwan Serasinghe (Petitioner) and M.D. Ranjani Jayakody (Director General, Department of Sports Development) alongside various officials and members of Sri Lanka Automobile Sports (SLAS), the court addressed whether the Director General of Sports lawfully exercised authority to conduct elections for the SLAS Executive Council on 27 August 2014. It was held that the Director General’s action in convening and conducting the election was ultra vires under the Sports Law No. 25 of 1973 and applicable regulations, as the statutory and regulatory framework did not authorize such power for SLAS specifically. The purported retrospective ratification by the Minister was found insufficient to validate the conduct. Furthermore, it was established that participation in