Brigadier Liyanage v. Chandrananda De Silva Secretary, Ministry of Defence and Others – sllr 2000 volume 1 page 021

In the case between Brigadier Liyanage and Chandrananda de Silva, Secretary, Ministry of Defence, and others, the court addressed the denial of promotion to Brigadier Liyanage and the alleged violation of his fundamental rights under Article 12(1) of the Constitution. The matter focused on whether the refusal to promote the petitioner, despite his exemplary record and the favorable recommendation of the Army Commander, was arbitrary and unreasonable. The findings established that reliance on past allegations—of which the petitioner had been acquitted—was unjustified and that the evaluation process was irrational. The decision reaffirmed that promotions in public service must be governed by fairness and the absence of arbitrariness, emphasizing equality under the law. The relief directed in