V .R Soundararajan Chettiar vs Raja Gooneratne – CA WRIT APPLICATION NO.11/2012-2013

In the case between V. R. Soundararajan Chettiar, Trustee of the Sri Selva Vinayagar Kovil, Kandy (Petitioner), and Raja Gooneratne, Commissioner of National Housing, along with Gotabaya Jayaratne (Secretary, Ministry of Construction, Engineering Services, Housing & Common Amenities) and two Members of the Board of Valuation (Respondents), the court addressed the issue of whether the order marked “P12” (dated 19.09.2011), issued by the 3rd and 4th Respondents, should be quashed by Writ of Certiorari due to lack of notice and fair hearing afforded to the Petitioner. The court held that the order had to be quashed, as it was established that proper notice under Section 20 of Law No. 1 of 1973 was not served and a fair hearing was not provided. The principle reaffirmed was that an administrat