Jeevan Thondaman vs Returning Officer, Panwila Pradeshiya Sabha – SC WRIT APPLICATION NO 30/2025-2025

In the cases of Jeevan Thondaman, Secretary, Ceylon Workers’ Congress, ASP Liyanage, Secretary, Sri Lanka Labour Party, S. Subairdeen, Secretary General, All Ceylon Makkal Congress, and Thalatha Athukorale, Secretary, United National Party & others, v. Returning Officers, Members of the Election Commission, and the Hon. Attorney General, the Court addressed whether writ applications challenging Returning Officers’ rejection of nomination papers in local authority elections fall within the Supreme Court’s jurisdiction or must be pursued in the Court of Appeal. It was determined that the Supreme Court’s writ jurisdiction under Article 104H of the Constitution is limited to acts of the Election Commission itself and does not extend to acts of Returning Officers, which are to be challenged bef