S.M.S.P. Wanasinghe vs The Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka and others – CA WRIT 202/2022-2025

In the matter of Petitioners (graduates of KDU’s Civil Engineering program) and the Institution of Engineers, Sri Lanka (IESL), the court addressed the refusal by the IESL to recognize the KDU’s Civil Engineering degree program. The court held that the IESL acted within its legal powers in refusing recognition and in its procedural steps, reaffirming the principle that statutory bodies are not bound by recommendations but by final decisions made within their purview. This decision relied on the IESL Act and its by-laws, emphasizing that legitimate expectation requires clear and unequivocal promises, and that alternative remedies exist for engineers seeking professional recognition despite the non-recognition of their degrees.

Mayadunne Corea, J. – Dismissed the Writ Application concerni