W.M.Dingiri Banda and W.M.Karunathilake v. G.D.J.Gunarathne, Commissioner General of lands, The District Land Officer, The Minister of Lands and Land Development, S. W. Thilakarathne, and others. – 635/2011-2015

In the case between W.M. Dingiri Banda and W.M. Karunathilake (Petitioners) and G.D.J. Gunarathne, Divisional Secretary, Commissioner General of Lands, District Land Officer, Minister of Lands, S.W. Thilakarathne, and others (Respondents), the Court addressed whether the grant of land to the 5th Respondent under the Land Development Ordinance was unlawful, and whether the pendency of a District Court action regarding title precluded parallel writ proceedings in the Court of Appeal. It was held that the District Court case and the Court of Appeal’s writ proceedings involved distinct issues and remedies, allowing the writ application to proceed independently. The principle reaffirmed is that the supervisory powers of the Court of Appeal over administrative acts remain exercisable irrespectiv