Wijenayake and Others vs. Minister of Public Administration – sllr 2011 volume 2 page 247

In the case between Wijenayake and Others (Plaintiffs) and the Minister of Public Administration (Defendant), the court addressed whether the Minister exceeded statutory authority in defining a “camp area” under the Pilgrimages Ordinance and whether disputed matters of property title and boundaries could be resolved in a writ court. The findings determined that the petitioners’ challenge regarding the inclusion of their property within the gazetted “camp area” raised issues of disputed facts concerning title and boundaries, which are not suitable for adjudication by a writ court but rather fall within the jurisdiction of the District Court. The certiorari application was dismissed, reaffirming the principle that writ jurisdiction does not extend to resolving contested property rights. The