Sirimanne v. Kottegoda and Another – sllr 1997 volume 1 page 103

In SIRIMANNE v. KOTTEGODA AND ANOTHER, the Supreme Court considered the administration of a deceased’s estate, with principal parties including the widow (as devisee) and an executor (co-executor named in the will). The legal issue concerned the existence and interpretation of a “conflict of claims” under Section 523 of the Civil Procedure Code, specifically whether such conflict arises when only one formal application is filed and whether the executor’s claim should be preferred over that of the widow. The widow had applied for Letters of Administration; the executor objected, asserting his priority. The District Court upheld the executor’s claim, which was overturned by the Court of Appeal. Upon further appeal, the Supreme Court determined that a substantial conflict existed between the