Dharmasena and Others v. Perera, Commissioner & Registrar, Co-Operative Development (Western Province) and Others – sllr 1994 volume 2 page 214

In the case between the elected Board of Directors of the Attanagalla Multi‑Purpose Co‑operative Society (petitioners) and the 3rd Respondent, Hon. Weerasinghe Mallimarachchi, Minister of Food and Co‑operatives, among others, the court addressed the legality of appointing a Competent Authority under Emergency (Maintenance of Essential Supplies and Services) Regulation No. 1 of 1989. It was held that the appointment was devoid of sufficient material and executed with improper motive, invalidating the orders and reaffirming the principle that discretionary powers must be exercised on proper grounds and in good faith. Reliance was placed on the legal standards governing ultra vires administrative action, supported by both statutory interpretation and case law, underscoring that public power r