A restaurant and hostel operator in Ella has been ordered to pay a fine of Rs. 260,000 after pleading guilty to selling bottled drinking water above the legally stipulated maximum retail price and exhibiting expired carbonated beverages for sale.
The violations were discovered during a regulatory raid carried out on October 2, 2026, by Consumer Affairs Authority (CAA) investigation officers attached to the Badulla District. The operation targeted the Ella Hostel and Restaurant, an establishment situated near the Ella Railway Station.
During the inspection, investigators identified that the business had sold a one-litre bottle of drinking water—carrying a legally prescribed maximum retail price of Rs. 120—at an inflated price of Rs. 200, representing an unauthorized markup of Rs. 80. Furthermore, officers confiscated six 400 ml bottles of soda that had expired on September 29, 2026, but were still placed on display alongside regular retail stock.
Key Developments
- Court Conviction: Legal action was initiated before the Bandarawela Magistrate’s Court, where defendant Sudath Kumar Vamadevan pleaded guilty to all charges on October 14, leading to the Rs. 260,000 penalty.
- Pricing Infractions: The outlet charged Rs. 200 for a one-litre water bottle, exceeding the mandated maximum retail price of Rs. 120 by Rs. 80.
- Safety Violations: Six 400 ml soda bottles past their September 29, 2026 expiration date were uncovered on store shelves ready for customer purchase.
- Consumer Hotline Alert: The Consumer Affairs Authority reiterated that consumers should check expiry dates on packaged food and beverages and lodge complaints regarding overpricing or outdated stock via hotline 1977 during business hours.
Commercial enterprises remain under statutory obligations to observe maximum retail price regulations and routinely monitor product lifespans to pull expired goods from commercial shelves, while shoppers are encouraged to verify packaging details before completing transactions.