W.M. Navarathna Bandara vs Ravindra Hewawitharana – CA WRIT APPLICATION NO. 279/2011-2013

In W.M. Navarathna Bandara v. Ravindra Hewawitharana (Commissioner General of Agrarian Development) and Others, the court addressed the legality of the Commissioner General’s decision to restore certain respondents to possession of paddy land and to withhold clearance for gem mining under the Agrarian Development Act No. 46 of 2000. The petitioner sought writs of certiorari and mandamus relating to rights over the land called Iriyagahavila Kumbura. It was held that the petitioner lacked required rights to the land, the licenses had lapsed at the time of application, and necessary parties were not joined. The principle reiterated was that statutory preconditions, including joinder of all interested parties and subsistence of relevant licenses, must be strictly satisfied for relief under wri