Andra Hannadige Sarathchandra vs. Ceylon Electricity Board – SC/APPEAL/63/2023-2024

In the case between Andra Hannadige Sarathchandra (plaintiff) and the Ceylon Electricity Board (defendant) and others, the Supreme Court addressed whether the initiation and continuation of legal proceedings against the plaintiff for alleged electricity meter tampering constituted malicious prosecution. The Court held that the necessary elements of malicious prosecution—lack of reasonable and probable cause and malice—were not proven on the evidence, reaffirming the principle that the honest belief of necessity in initiating prosecution negates malice in such claims. Reliance was placed on established case law for malicious prosecution, emphasizing that insufficient proof of improper motive and absence of procedural irregularities precluded liability. It was determined that post-judgment e