Chief Petty Officer Heeni Pellage Harischandra vs Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, Commander – Sri Lanka Navy and others – CA WRT 0487/21-2025

In the matter of Chief Petty Officer Heeni Pellage Harischandra and Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, Commander – Sri Lanka Navy and others, the Court addressed the validity of a Summary Trial finding of guilt without stated reasons and the consideration of irrelevant material, in violation of natural justice and Sri Lanka Navy Orders. The Court held that the Summary Trial’s decision was illegal and fundamentally flawed due to the absence of reasons and the unlawful consideration of a preliminary investigation report, reaffirming the principle that procedural fairness is paramount. This decision relied on Sri Lanka Navy Order 0501 and principles of natural justice, emphasizing that procedural defects can render a decision illegal and subject to judicial review.

K. M. G. H. KULATUNGA, J