Jagath Siriwardhana and 11 Others vs S.S.R. de Silva Chairman, Gampaha District Thrift and Credit Co-operative Societies Union Ltd. – CA Writ 16/2022-2023

Brief
In the matter of Jagath Siriwardhana and 11 other petitioners versus S.S.R. de Silva (Chairman, Gampaha District Thrift and Credit Co-operative Societies Union Ltd) and 17 others, the court examined whether notice should be issued in writ proceedings under Article 140 of the Constitution, encompassing relief by way of certiorari, mandamus, and prohibition under the Cooperative Societies Statute. It was held that interim relief was appropriate, emphasizing the court’s discretion in issuing writs where statutory duties and administrative discretion are contested. The decision reaffirmed that, even where relief is sought in broad or multiple statutory terms, interim judicial intervention may be warranted if statutory and procedural foundations exist. Statutory provisions such as those u