Ratnayake v Commissioner-General of Excise and Others – sllr 2004 volume 1 page 115

In Ratnayake v. Commissioner-General of Excise and Others, the court addressed whether the refusal to renew a liquor licence—based on the proximity of a newly constructed mosque—violated principles of natural justice and the rule of audi alteram partem. It was determined that the decision to refuse the licence, without affording the petitioner the opportunity to be heard, was arbitrary and contrary to established principles. The principle reaffirmed is that discretionary power affecting fundamental rights must be exercised fairly and reasonably, in accordance with natural justice. Reliance was placed on relevant notifications, government gazette directives, and case precedents, establishing that procedural fairness must be observed in administrative decisions. The decision resulted in quas