Sri Lanka, Oct. 29 -- The Court of Appeal has ruled that pension authorities cannot assume the jurisdiction of a competent court to declare a registered marriage invalid, while ordering the Department of Pensions to recognise a retired municipal employee's wife as eligible for benefits under the Widows' and Orphans' Pension Fund Ordinance.

The Court of Appeal two-judge-bench comprising Justices Adithya Patabendige and Sasi Mahendran, held that although the employee's first marriage remained legally subsisting when he contracted his second marriage, the subsequent dissolution of the first marriage had to be considered in determining pension entitlement under the relevant legislation.

Justice Adithya Patabendige, delivering the judgment,...