H. Sarath Wickramasinghe & Others vs. The Governor, Southern Province & Others – SC FR APPLICATION NO: 41/2017-2023

In the case between a group of Co-operative Development Officers (Petitioners) and the Governor of the Southern Province, the Provincial Public Service Commission, and other officials including the Hon. Attorney General (Respondents), the court addressed whether the cancellation of promotions for the Petitioners, on the basis of not passing the 3rd Efficiency Bar Examination as required by the 2015 Schemes of Recruitment, constituted arbitrary action in violation of Article 12(1) of the Constitution. It was held that the cancellation of the promotions—subsequently approved by the 1st Respondent—was lawful, reasonable, and in alignment with the statutory framework, as the prerequisites for promotion were expressly provided in the recruitment scheme, and the Provincial Public Service Commiss