Priyantha and Others V Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and Others – sllr 2003 volume 2 page 383

In the case between Priyantha and Others and the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation and Others, the court addressed whether a Cabinet decision nullifying appointments, promotions, and reinstatements applied to employees whose services had been terminated and then reinstated. It was held that the Cabinet decision did not extend to the petitioners, whose reinstatement after a lawful review of their dismissal was legitimate, and that the subsequent termination of their services was arbitrary, constituting an infringement of the right to equality under Article 12(1) of the Constitution. The principle was reaffirmed that executive actions must adhere to fairness and cannot arbitrarily affect individuals’ rights, particularly in the context of public employment. Reliance was placed on constitutional g