Court to deliver decision on specialist doctors’ petition

The Court of Appeal today (March 29) ordered for the decision regarding the preliminary objections raised by the Attorney General seeking the dismissal of a petition without taking it into consideration, to be announced on May 17, 2023.

The preliminary objections had been raised with regard to a petition which was filed requesting to invalidate a decision taken by the Cabinet of Ministers for the mandatory retirement of government doctors and specialist doctors at the age of 60.

The bench of justices has also ordered the extension of the interim injunction issued preventing the implementation of the decision for the mandatory retirement of government doctors and specialist doctors until May 17.

The order was issued by the Appellate Court bench comprising of the President of the Court of Appeal, Nissanka Bandula Karunaratne and Justice A. Marikkar.

The relevant petition was filed by 176 doctors, who are currently employed in the public service.

Additional Solicitor General Nerin Pulle, who pointed out that the petition cannot be maintained, also emphasized before the courts that the Court of Appeal has no power to issue orders to the Public Service Commission as the facts underlying this case are related to the Public Service Commission.