Anulawathie Menike v. Abhayaratne – sllr 2006 volume 2 page 071

In the case between Anulawathie Menike (respondent) and Abhayaratne (appellant), the court addressed the issue of whether the Debt Conciliation Board acted within its jurisdiction when it accepted an application that did not strictly adhere to the statutory time limits prescribed by the Debt Conciliation Ordinance. It was held that entry into a settlement before the Board constituted a waiver of the right to challenge the jurisdiction or validity of the proceedings. The decision reaffirmed the principle that jurisdictional objections must be raised at the earliest opportunity or are otherwise waived. Reliance was placed on statutory provisions, including sections 17, 18, 19A, 22, 30, 49, and 56 of the Debt Conciliation Ordinance and corroborative evidence, emphasizing that a failure to tim