Leela de Zoysa v. Rilhenage Pieris (Deceased) – CA CASE NO. 343/2000-2000

In the case between Leela de Zoysa (Plaintiff-Appellant) and M.H. Sunil Jayantha (Substituted 1A Defendant-Respondent) concerning paddy land at Batakulukatiya, the court addressed whether the District Court of Kalutara had jurisdiction to determine the existence of a tenancy relationship and to order ejectment, or whether such matters fell within the exclusive purview of the Commissioner of Agrarian Services under the Agrarian Services Act, No. 58 of 1979. It was held that although jurisdiction over landlord-tenant disputes is generally vested in the Commissioner, the District Court retains jurisdiction to decide on tenancy status when the existence of the landlord-tenant relationship is itself contested. This principle was reaffirmed, with reliance on precedents such as Herath v. Peter an