Budurdeen Shahabdeen vs Rangiri Dambulla Corporative Society – 1288/99 F -2015

In Budurdeen Shahabdeen v. Rangiri Dambulla Corporative Society, the court addressed whether the plaintiff-respondent had established full title to the property as required in a rei vindication action, thereby entitling relief for declaration of title and ejectment of the defendant-appellant. It was held that the plaintiff failed to prove sole ownership, as necessary for a rei vindication action, due to only acquiring a partial interest through succession under the Matrimonial Rights and Inheritance Ordinance. The principle was reaffirmed that a plaintiff must strictly prove full and exclusive ownership to succeed in a vindicatory action, relying on established authorities including D.A. Wanigaratne v. Juwanis Appuhamy and Loku Menika v. Gunasekera. The appellate decision emphasized that c