Galle High Court Judge Manjula Thilakarathna postponed the hearing of a petition for a writ of Mandamus pleading the suspension of the alleged decision of the Southern Province Governor’s Secretary, to illegitimately recruit personnel to fill the existing Supra Grade vacancies at the Southern Provincial Government Management Assistant Service (SPGMAS).
The decision had been allegedly taken based on the merits of the respective competitive examination that was previously held in 2016, despite the fact that new applications had been called for the same examination in 2018, until September 3.
The High Court Judge made the above decision upon considering the pleas made by four of the nine respondents. The lawyer appearing on behalf of the said respondents, requested leave to make submissions on behalf of the said respondents.
Diyunage Prasanna of Bataganwila, Galle; Metaramba Kanaththa Gamage Nalina of Uluwitike, Galle; and Gothatuwe Parana Widanalage Hemantha of Gothatuwa, Baddegama; had filed the application for a writ of Mandamus.
The Southern Province Public Services Commission located at the Galle District Secretariat, the SP Public Service Commission’s Secretary, Southern Province Governor’s Secretary, Southern Provincial Council Secretary, W. H. Nandani attached to the Southern Province Ayurveda Department, M. Sandya of the Tissamaharama Base Hospital, K. K. Jayanthi of the Matara District Engineers’ Services Office, A. W. P. Malkanthi attached to the Matara Cooperative Development Commissioner’s Office and G. H. S. Dayawathi attached to the Southern Province Chief Secretariat, had been cited as respondents.
The first respondent is the appointing authority of the aforementioned posts, while the second respondent is the secretary of the said commission. The fourth respondent is the appointing authority of the Provincial Council subjected to the approval of the first respondent.
The fifth to ninth respondents are the prospective appointees whose appointments were challenged by the petition.
The petitioners, in their submissions, had stated that they were Grade III officers of the permanent cadre attached to the Southern Provincial Government Management Assistant Service who had applied for the limited competitive examination, this year, to seek promotions for the Supra Grade of the same post.
The petitioners were represented by Attorney-at-Law Rajindra Narangoda, while Counselor Sanjaya Koddituwakku, instructed by Attorney-at-Law M. S. S. Illiyas, appeared on behalf of the the first four respondents mentioned. Attorney-at-Law Visaka Rathnayake appeared on behalf of the other five respondents respondents.
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