Weerasinghe v. Chandananda De Silva, Commissioner of Elections and Others – sllr 1992 volume 1 page 076

In the case between Weerasinghe (Appellant) and Chandananda De Silva (Commissioner of Elections) and others (Respondents), the Supreme Court addressed the validity of preference votes in an election, focusing on whether 642 votes were void due to markings outside the prescribed area and whether approximately 1,000 allegedly irregular preference votes warranted inspection or recount. It was held that the votes marked outside the designated “cage” were invalid, as per the statutory scheme, and that the evidentiary threshold for ordering inspection of ballot papers concerning the alleged additional votes was not met. The decision reaffirmed the principle that strict compliance with statutory voting procedures is required, and the finality of the election result is upheld absent clear, materia