Walker Sons Ltd vs Morgan Engineering (Private) Ltd – CA PHC APN 158/2006-2011

In the case between Morgan Engineering (Private) Ltd (Respondent-Petitioner-Petitioner) and L H M B B Herath, Chief Manager, Welfare and Industrial Relations, Sri Lanka Ports Authority (Complainant-Respondent-Respondent), the court addressed issues under the State Lands (Recovery of Possession) Act regarding the right of Morgan Engineering to occupy State land. The central legal question was whether lawful possession was held under a valid permit or other written authority not revoked. The court held that documentary evidence, comprised primarily of letters of authority and rental payments, constituted adequate written authority for occupation, and such authority was not properly revoked prior to eviction proceedings. This reaffirmed the principle that ongoing, unrevoked written authority,