Sagara Kariyawasam, General Secretary, Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna Vs Suranga Ambagahatenna Returning Officer for Kalawana, and others – CA/ WRIT APPLICATION NO: 309/25-2025

The case between Sagara Kariyawasam, General Secretary of the Sri Lanka Podujana Peramuna, and Suranga Ambagahatenna, Returning Officer for Kalawana, addressed the issue of technical non-compliance in nomination submissions for the Local Government Election scheduled for 06.05.2025. The court held that the rejection of nomination papers based solely on the absence of a jurat portion and an attestation certificate in the declaration under the 7th Schedule, despite the submission of National Identity Cards and lack of opposition, undermined democratic rights. It was determined that adherence to the Constitution, rather than a strict application of minor technical requirements, necessitated the quashing of the rejection and the issuance of a Writ of Mandamus to compel acceptance of the nomina