Kuruwitage Don Marlin Minura Siriwardena vs Ceylon Petroleum Corporation – SC/SPL/LA 266/2023-2025

In the case between Kuruwitage Don Marlin Minura Siriwardena (Petitioner-Respondent) and B.S. Cooray (10th Respondent-Petitioner), involving the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) and its directors among others, the Supreme Court addressed whether the CPC and associated officials violated established procedural requirements and judicial directives when re-issuing a dealership licence prior to the full determination of a pending Special Leave to Appeal application. The findings established that the CPC, its directors, and the Minister of Energy acted in a manner tainted by bias, breaching due process and ignoring judicial instructions, particularly regarding the adherence to minimum distance guidelines and the authority of the Court of Appeal’s prior judgment. It was held that the withdrawa