Chinthake Kaushalya Gunathilake & Desandu Dheesara Gunathilake v. B. A. Abeyrathna, M.V.S. Gunathilake, Mr. Happeruma, Director – National Schools & Prof. K. Kapila C.K. Perera – CA WRIT/295/2021-2021

In the case between Chinthake Kaushalya Gunathilake and others (Petitioners) and B. A. Abeyrathna, Principal, Royal College, Colombo 07, and others (Respondents), the court addressed whether the rejection of the 2nd Petitioner’s application for Grade 1 admission to Royal College, Colombo 7, for 2021 was unlawful, and whether related deductions of marks for proximity were made in compliance with the applicable legal standards. The issue concerned the legality of the Interview Board’s use of a 1 — 15000 scale map, instead of the 1 — 50000 scale map specified in the Ministry Circular, in determining which schools were closer to the Petitioners’ residence than Royal College, which resulted in marks being deducted for nearby schools. It was held that the use of the 1 — 15000 map was neither ill