Jeewananda And Another v. Land Reform Commission And Others – sllr 2006 volume 3 page 397

In Jeewananda and Another (Ande Cultivators) v. Land Reform Commission and Others, the court addressed whether the withdrawal of possession from the petitioners, following an advance deposit and decision to transfer vested land, violated principles of natural justice and the petitioners’ legitimate expectation. It was determined that the petitioners, having complied with the advance payment and formalities, were entitled to a hearing before any decision affecting their possession was made. The findings established that the 2nd Respondent’s action to terminate possession—without affording a fair opportunity to be heard—breached natural justice. The Land Reform Commission Law No.1 of 1972 and relevant case law were relied upon, reaffirming that administrative bodies must respect the procedur