Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka vs Institute of Chartered Public Accountants and Others – sllr 2007 volume 2 page 091

The case between the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Sri Lanka (Plaintiff) and the Institute of Chartered Public Accountants and associated parties including the Registrar of Companies (Defendant) addressed the issue of whether the statutory exclusivity over the title “Chartered Accountant” granted under the Institute of Chartered Accountants Act No. 23 of 1959 precludes registration and use by the defendant of the designation “Chartered Public Accountant” or the abbreviation “CPA.” It was held that the plaintiff, as the sole statutory body authorized to confer the title “Chartered Accountant,” retains a prima facie legal right to such exclusivity. The decision reaffirmed the principle that statutory protection of professional titles is intended to prevent public confusion and ensure