Ratnayake V Ekanayake, Commissioner General of Excise and Others – sllr 2003 volume 2 page 299

The case between Ratnayake (Plaintiff) and Ekanayake, Commissioner General of Excise and others (Defendants) concerned the refusal to renew a liquor licence, focusing on whether the cancellation was justified when the petitioner had been operating continuously and the only change was the construction of a neighboring place of worship after business operations commenced. It was held that the refusal and subsequent cancellation of the licence were arbitrary and amounted to a violation of natural justice, specifically the right to a fair hearing (audi alteram partem). The principle reaffirmed was that any administrative decision made in violation of natural justice is void, and affected parties must be granted an opportunity to be heard. The decision relied upon established precedent regardin