Dhanapala Mudiyanselage Sarath Dhanapala vs Justice N.E. Dissanayake – C A WRIT 0607/2011-2024

In the case between Dhanapala Mudiyanselage Sarath Dhanapala (petitioner) and Justice N.E. Dissanayake (as Chairman, Administrative Appeals Tribunal) and others (respondents), the court addressed the validity of the petitioner’s appeal against his removal from police service following a vacation of post order and subsequent disciplinary proceedings. It was held that the petitioner’s application lacked merit as the Public Service Commission’s (PSC) earlier decision was binding and had not been set aside, with the National Police Commission (NPC) lacking jurisdiction to reopen the matter under amended constitutional provisions. The ruling reaffirmed the legal principle that statutory appellate rights for police officers in disciplinary proceedings must be expressly provided, and determinatio