Tissa Kumara Liyanage et al. Vs. Hon. Ranjith Siyambalapitiya and others – SCFR NO. 304/2016-2016

In the case between members of the CEB Accountants’ Association (Petitioners) and the Minister of Power and Renewable Energy along with senior Ceylon Electricity Board officials (Respondents), the court addressed whether the implementation of a distinct “E-salary scale” and creation of a “Unified Engineering Service” for engineers and related staff infringed the petitioners’ constitutional rights under Article 12(1) (equality) and Article 14(1)(g) (freedom of occupation). It was determined that, although the petitioners alleged discrimination via a segregated salary and recruitment scheme, the challenge was time-barred due to filing outside the constitutional one-month window set by Article 126(2). The findings established that ongoing salary payments did not amount to continuing infringem