Samarasinghe v. Air Lanka Ltd. and Others – sllr 1996 volume 1 page 259

In the case between Samarasinghe (the Petitioner, Senior International Relations Executive, Air Lanka Ltd.) and Air Lanka Ltd., its management, Board members, and the 13th Respondent, the court addressed whether the petitioner’s constitutional right to equality under Article 12(1) was violated through discriminatory practices in the recruitment and appointment process for the position of Manager, International Relations. It was held that the appointment of the 13th Respondent, who lacked the required experience and whose selection bypassed proper procedure, was invalid. The principle reaffirmed was that equality in employment extends to recruitment processes and that adherence to established internal procedures is mandatory. Reliance was placed on constitutional provisions and the factual