Central Finance Co. PLC. Vs. Basnayake Appuhamilage Belin Tissera and others – SC Appeal 48/2020-2025

In the matter between Central Finance Co. PLC and the Defendant-Respondent-Respondent, the court addressed the issue of the Plaintiff’s legal personality following a statutory name change and the cognizance of photocopied incorporation certificates. It was held that the Plaintiff’s name change from ‘Central Finance Company Limited’ to ‘Central Finance Company PLC’ was an operation of law under the Companies Act No. 7 of 2007, which did not create a new legal entity. The court determined that the lower courts should have taken cognizance of the incorporation certificates, especially given the Defendants’ prior consistent dealings and acceptance of benefits, which precluded them from denying the Plaintiff’s corporate identity. This decision reaffirmed the principle that a statutory name chan