Goonathilaka And Another v. Thollappan – sllr 2007 volume 2 page 394

In the case between GOONATHILAKA AND ANOTHER (appellants) and THOLLAPPAN (respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether land with an existing structure falls within the definition of “State land” for the purposes of the State Lands (Recovery of Possession) Act and whether the respondent possessed authority to issue the notice to quit under the Act. It was held that “State land” under the Act encompasses any buildings or structures erected upon it, and the existence of such structures does not exclude the land from the Act’s operation. The decision reaffirmed the principle that statutory definitions are to be given full effect, and the presence of a building does not remove the property from state land status. The appellate court’s restrictive reading was rejected, relying on Sectio