Kaluwahandi Garwin Premalal Silva vs K. W. E. Karaliyadda and others – SC FR 383/2016-2021

In the case between police officers (petitioners) and state bodies including the National Police Commission, the Inspector General of Police, and relevant governmental agencies (respondents), the court addressed whether the denial of promotions, despite Cabinet decisions and recommendations of a political victimization committee, constituted unequal treatment under Article 12(1) of the Constitution. The holding established that the petitioners failed to prove a violation of fundamental rights, reiterating the principle that promotions in public service must be governed by constitutionally and statutorily prescribed procedures and not by ad hoc political directives. Reliance was placed on the legal framework regulating appointments, promotion, and seniority, with a focus on established lega