Environmental Foundation Limited vs Urban Development Authority of Sri Lanka – sllr 2009 volume 1 page 123

In Environmental Foundation Limited v. Urban Development Authority of Sri Lanka and Others, the court addressed whether an incorporated company could invoke fundamental rights under Articles 12(1) and 14(1)(a) of the Constitution, the denial of access to official information by the Urban Development Authority (UDA), and the legal validity of the management agreement or lease relating to Galle Face Green. It was held that the freedom of speech and expression under Article 14(1)(a) encompasses the right to access information necessary for public discourse, and that an incorporated company qualifies as a “person” under Article 12(1). The court ruled the UDA’s actions in withholding information and entering into the agreement as ultra vires, declared the agreement with E.A.P. Ltd. null and voi