Weerathunga Arachchige Michael Padmasiri, et al. v. The Governor – Southern Province, et al. – SC FR APPLICATION NO: 211/2016-2023

In the case between several officers of the Co‑operative Development Department of the Southern Province (Petitioners) and the Governor of the Southern Province, members of the Provincial Public Service Commission, and other state officials (Respondents), the court addressed the legality of a newly introduced marking scheme that revised educational and professional qualification requirements for recruitment and promotion. The main issue concerned allegations that the scheme was arbitrary, irrational, and violative of the Petitioners’ constitutional rights under Articles 12(1) (equality before the law) and 14(1)(g) (freedom of occupation). The sequence of events included the January 2015 revision of recruitment criteria, subsequent disadvantage to Petitioners in the 2016 interview process,