Kiri Puncha v. Kiri Ukku and Others – sllr 1981 volume 1 page 341

In the case between Kiri Puncha (Plaintiff-Appellant) and Kiri Ukku and Others (Defendants-Respondents), the court addressed the issue of the inheritance rights of illegitimate children under Kandyan Law, specifically in relation to paraveni property following the Kandyan Law Declaration and Amendment Ordinance. It was held that the proviso to section 10(1) of the Ordinance is declaratory and does not extend inheritance rights to illegitimate children when other heirs exist. This decision reaffirmed the principle that under general Kandyan Law, illegitimate children are excluded from succeeding to paraveni property in the presence of lawful heirs. Reliance was placed on established legal precedents and interpretation of statutory language, emphasizing that the traditional construction of s