Ratnasiri Perera v. Dissanayake, Assistant Commissioner of Co Operative Development and Others – sllr 1992 volume 1 page 286

In the case between Ratnasiri Perera (Plaintiff) and Dissanayake, Assistant Commissioner of Co-operative Development and others (Defendants), the court addressed whether an arbitrator appointed by the Registrar under Section 58(2) of the Co-operative Societies Law, No. 5 of 1972, exercises judicial power under Article 4(c) of the Constitution, and whether such appointment should be made by the Judicial Service Commission pursuant to Article 114(1) of the Constitution. It was held that the Registrar acts as an institution exercising judicial power and that appointment of an arbitrator under the said law does not require involvement of the Judicial Service Commission, as the arbitrator is considered part of that institution. The court further reasoned that the definition of “Judicial Officer