Anoma S. Polwatte vs. The Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption – SC WRIT APPLICATION NO. 01/2011-2018

In the case between Anoma S. Polwatte, a Class I Officer of the Sri Lanka Administrative Service (Plaintiff), and several officers from the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption including the Director General (Defendants/Respondents), the core legal issue concerned the legality of a directive (R-1) purportedly authorizing the prosecution of the Plaintiff for bribery-related offenses. It was determined that the directive was issued when the Commission lacked legal existence and failed to comply with statutory procedures, particularly the requirement for collective action by the full Commission as outlined in the Commission to Investigate Allegations of Bribery or Corruption Act No. 19 of 1994 and related statutes. The finding established that the directive (R-1) was