Chandradasa v. Wijetatne – sllr 1982 volume 1 page 412

In Chandradasa v. Wijeratne, the petitioner, Chandradasa (an employee of Ceylon Oxygen Ltd), sought judicial review of his dismissal against Wijeratne, the respondent and competent authority of the vested business undertaking. The central issue concerned whether a dismissal carried out under contractual powers, following the vesting of the company’s business in the Government, was subject to judicial review via certiorari. It was held that dismissal decisions made in exercise of contractual powers—not conferred by statute—fall outside the purview of certiorari. The decision confirmed that remedies of judicial review are unavailable for employment terminations grounded solely in contract, reaffirming the principle that certiorari does not lie to quash the acts of purely contractual characte