ARIYARATHNE AND OTHERS

Vs.

INSPECTOR GENERAL OF POLICE AND OTHERS

SUPREME COURT
ALUWIHARE, J.
PRASANNA JAYAWARDENA, J.
DEHIDENIYA, J.
SC/FR/444/2012
JANUARY 10, FEBRUARY 12, 2019

Fundamental rights-Article 12(1) of the Constitution-Legitimate expectation (procedural and substantive)

The petitioners entered the public service in 2004 under the Graduate Scheme. After an initial training at various Divisional Secretariats, they were attached to the Department of Police in 2005 as "Community Relations Officers" where they received residential training at the Sri Lanka Police College at Kalutara, which training the 1st respondent Inspector General of Police says was not similar to the training given to Police Officers of the regular Police Force. Thereafter, they were attached to the Police Headquarters and Police Stations throughout the island. In the latter part of 2005, they were appointed to the posts of Development Assistants in the Department of Police on a permanent basis, which was a transferable and pensionable post, and placed on the salary scale MN 4-2006. However, they are not "Police Officers" in the Sri Lanka Police Force which consi