People’s Bank v Lanka Banku Sevaka Sangamaya – SC APPEAL NO. 209/12-2015

In the case between Lanka Banku Sevaka Sangamaya (on behalf of L.D. Dayananda) and People’s Bank Head Office, the court addressed whether the termination of a workman was justified in light of evidence indicating unauthorized transactions from a dormant bank account. It was held that the termination was warranted due to the employee’s involvement in multiple procedural irregularities despite the absence of explicit endorsements on withdrawal slips, and that the Labour Tribunal and High Court had failed to properly evaluate the evidence and the applicable standard of proof. This decision reinforced the legal principle that breach of trust and misconduct, when established on a balance of probabilities in disciplinary proceedings, justify termination in the banking sector. Reference was made