An Analysis of SC Appeal No. 211/2012: Bigamy, Nullity, and the Integrity of Matrimonial Law Introduction The decision of the Supreme Court of Sri Lanka in SC Appeal No. 211/2012 decided on 02.05.2016, offers a striking reminder that a marriage, while deeply personal and social in nature, is fundamentally a legal institution—one whose validity depends not on emotions or appearances but on clear statutory compliance. At the heart of this case is a single question: Can a marriage be considered legally valid if one of the parties was already married to someone else at the time of contracting it? In this judgment, the Supreme Court ultimately held that the marriage between the Plaintiff, Udagepolage Gunasiri Seneviratne, and the Defendant, Pattiya Widanage Carmen Premalatha, was null and void ab initio— a legal fiction from the outset—due to the Defendant’s existing, undissolved marriage to another man. Procedural Background The case originated in the District Court of Negombo, where the P...
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