IN THE COURT OF APPEAL OF THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALIST REPUBLIC OF SRI LANKA In the matter of an Appeal in terms of Section 34(1) of the Right to Information Act No.12 of 2016 read with the Court of Appeal (Appellant Procedure Rules 1990)

Hewa Baddage Gunaratne, “Saman”, Udapanguwa, Lunugala.

Appellant-Petitioner Vs.

Court of Appeal Application No: CA/RTI/01/2020 Right to Information Commission, Room No. 203, 204 BMICH, RTIC Appeal No: 766/2018 Bauddhaloka Mawatha, Colombo Respondent-Respondent BEFORE : D.N.Samarakoon J Neil Iddawala J COUNSEL : Mahinda Jayawardena with Champika Monarawila for the Petitioner.

Himali Kularatne with D.R.J. Ellepola for the Respondent.

Argued on : 04.04.2023 Written Submissions on : 14.06.2023 Decided on : 28.06.2023 Iddawala – J This is an appeal filed on 03.09.2020 and thereafter the amended petition was filed on 22.03.2021, under Section 34 (1) of the Right to Information Act No. 12 of 2016 (hereinafter referred to as the RTI Act) inter alia to set aside the order issued by the Right to Information Commission (hereinafter referred to as the RTI Commission) on 19.08.2019 and to order the issuance of information sought by the appellant-petitioner (hereinafter