The Court of Appeal decided yesterday (03) not to issue an interim restraining order suspending the implementation of the decision taken by the Minister of Labor Manusha Nanayakkara to increase the wages of plantation workers. The Court of Appeal said this after considering the basic facts regarding a petition filed by twenty-one estate companies challenging the gazette announcement containing the relevant salary increase decision.
However, a notice was issued directing Labor and Foreign Employment Minister Manusha Nanayakkara and others to present their facts before the court on the 26th regarding the said petition.
This was stated by a panel of judges of the Court of Appeal comprising Messrs. Sobitha Rajakaruna and Dhammika Ganepola. The bench noted that the relevant interim order will not be issued at this time, taking into account the precedents of the Supreme Court and the Court of Appeal and the fact that this salary increase is based on the government’s policy decision.