Thambirajah and Others vs. Land Acquiring Officer of Jaffna and Others – sllr 2019 volume 1 page 471

The case between Thambirajah and Others (Plaintiffs) and the Land Acquiring Officer of Jaffna and Others (Defendants) involved the issue of whether a Section 2 Notice under the Land Acquisition Act No. 9 of 1950 could be challenged by writ of certiorari. It was determined that such a notice, being of an investigatory nature and not constituting a final determination affecting rights, is not amenable to judicial review at this early, preliminary stage. The holding reaffirmed the principle that preliminary administrative steps taken to investigate land suitability for public purpose, especially when national security is cited, do not attract certiorari since rights are not yet affected. The reasoning relied on statutory provisions, relevant precedents, and the significance of national securi