⚖️ Court of Appeal Affirms RTI Order on Devalaya Bank Accounts

The Court of Appeal has upheld a Right to Information (RTI) Commission directive requiring People’s Bank to disclose financial details regarding two accounts held by the Devinuwara Uthpalawanna Sri Vishnu Maha Devalaya. • Legal Precedent: The court ruled that the RTI Act holds supremacy over the secrecy provisions of the Banking Act. It emphasized that transparency and accountability are constitutional rights under Article 14A. • Public Trust: Funds belonging to the Devalaya, including donations and property income, were deemed public trust assets rather than private property. The court clarified that a Basnayake Nilame acts as a trustee, meaning transactions are subject to public scrutiny and do not constitute "private personal data." • Procedural Ruling: The bench confirmed that the RTI Commission is a quasi-judicial body and is not required to be named as a respondent or defend its own decisions in appeal cases. • Key Outcome: The appeal by People’s Bank was dismissed, affirming the 2024 RTI Commission order. This reinforces the disclosure obligations of state-linked banking institutions when dealing with public or religious temporalities.