Kulatunga, Labour Officer, Colombo South v. Dodangoda and Others – sllr 1987 volume 1 page 001

In Kulatunga, Labour Officer, Colombo South v. Dodangoda and Others, the court addressed whether an arbitrator’s award, despite repudiation by the respondents, remained operative for a minimum statutory period under section 20(2)(a) of the Industrial Disputes Act. It was determined that the award, once published, retained legal force for at least 12 months, during which violation constituted an offence under section 40(1)(a), punishable under section 43(1) read with section 43(4). The findings established that an employer’s repudiation does not affect the statutory duration of the award’s operation. Relying on the Industrial Disputes Act and referring to relevant judicial precedent, the court reaffirmed that during the 12-month period, the award remained binding and its violation attracted