Flexport (Pvt) Limited vs Commercial Bank of Ceylon Limited – SC APPEAL NO. 03/2012-2012

In the case between Flexport (Pvt) Limited, Puwak Dandawe Narayana Nandadasa, and Mallika Devasurendra (Defendants/Appellants) and Commercial Bank of Ceylon Limited (Plaintiff/Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether Section 8(1) of the Interpretation Ordinance applies to Section 86(2) of the Civil Procedure Code, specifically regarding the computation of the prescribed 14‑day period for setting aside an ex parte judgment when intervening public holidays or court closure days occur. The findings established that the period for filing should exclude days when the court is closed, and an application filed on the next working day is considered within time. The principle reaffirmed is that strict computation under Section 86(2) is subject to mitigation by Section 8(1) if the deadl