The Court of Appeal has issued a writ order cancelling the decision to appoint S.M.P. Sooriya Bandara as the Director General of the Road Development Authority (RDA) in 2024.
The court further ordered that K.W. Kandambi be appointed to the post, effective from March 5, 2024, instructing the RDA and the Minister of Transport and Highways in this regard.
Taking up for hearing the writ petition filed by Kandambi, challenging the appointment, the Court of Appeal bench comprising Acting President of the Court of Appeal Mohamed Laffar Tahir and Justice Sarath Dissanayake, issued the ruling.
In his petition, Kandambi claimed that as an experienced staff member who has served the RDA for nearly 23 years, he had sat for the examinations held for the post of Director General and had obtained 61 marks in the interview.
He further pointed out that despite receiving lesser marks than the petitioner, S.M.P. Suriya Bandara was appointed to the position on March 5, 2024, according to the decision taken by the RDA.
Arguing that appointing a candidate who scored fewer marks was against the law, he requested the court to issue an order to nullify that decision. (Newswire)
