Twenty one trained teachers have petitioned the Supreme Court alleging that their fundamental rights have been violated by promoting those who had obtained less marks at the written examination than those who had done better to grade II of the principals’ service.

Minister of Education Susil Premajayanth, the Secretary to the Ministry, Commissioner of Examinations and the Public Service Commission have been cited as respondents.According to the petition, the Education Ministry called for applications from qualified trained teachers in 1995 to be considered for promotion as grade II principals and accordingly 16,000 teachers had applied. After a written test the names of those who qualified for the viva voce were gazetted.

The petitioners alleged that those who failed the written test, by scoring less than 50 per cent of the marks, were also summoned for the interviews, provided with higher marks and promoted as grade II principals. The petitioners also named 25 such teachers who were selected and promoted.

Citing the example of one P. P. Piyasiri, the petitioners alleged that he had scored only 116 at the written examination but was given a further 126 marks at the interview, making a total of 242 and promoting him to the principals service.

The petition was mentioned before a three-judge Supreme Court Bench headed by Justice Shirani Thilakawardena.

Senior State Counsel Parinda Ranasinghe who represented the Minister of Education said the matter could be amicably settled and that two more petitions, had been filed in this connection.

Counsel Lakshman Ranasinghe told Court that the 21 peitioners who have been denied promotions despite scoring over 50 per cent marks at the written examination were willing to accept promotions to the grade II principals’ service.

Further hearing was postponed for March 3.