D.S. Gunasekara (Pvt) Ltd vs R.A. Prageeth Jaliya Jayathilake, Authorized Officer in terms of the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol Act – CA/PHC/APN/0086/2023-2024

In the case between the 2nd accused-petitioner (an Authorized Officer and Public Health Inspector, party to NATA Act enforcement) and respondents including the 1st complainant-respondent (another Public Health Inspector), the Attorney General, Ceylon Tobacco Company PLC, and D.S. Gunasekara (Pvt) Ltd, the court addressed the issue of whether the National Authority on Tobacco and Alcohol (NATA) Act’s requirement for pictorial warnings on large cardboard boxes used for transporting cigarette packets is mandatory, considering the ambiguity between the Act’s official Sinhala version and its English translation. The court held that due to exceptional circumstances and the misinterpretation stemming from the translation discrepancy, the orders of the Magistrate’s Court and the High Court should