M. N.D. Perera Vs Balapatabendi, Secretary To the President and Others – sllr 2005 volume 1 page 185

In the case between M. N. D. Perera (Plaintiff), News Editor of Teleshan Television Network (TNL), and Balapatabendi, Secretary to the President, along with other officials (Defendants), the court addressed whether the swearing-in ceremony of the Prime Minister at the President’s House constituted a public function, and whether the denial of media access violated fundamental rights under Articles 12(1), 12(2), and 14(1)(a) of the Constitution. It was held that the event, when hosted at the President’s House for official purposes, had public aspects and that exclusion of the petitioner and his crew was both illegal and discriminatory. The ruling reaffirmed the principle that public functions cannot restrict access based on subjective criteria and that officials’ decisions must adhere to the