C. Ranasinghe vs. Don Aruna Nimalka Karunanayake – CA [WRIT] NO: 649/2008-2016

In the case between Don Aruna Nimalka Karunanayake (Petitioner) and C. Ranasinghe (Acquiring Officer, Greater Colombo Flood Control Project Land Acquiring Office), Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation, and the Ministry of Urban Development & Water Supply with others (Respondents), the court addressed the challenge to the acquisition of land under the Land Acquisition Act. The central issue concerned the petitioner’s request for a writ of Certiorari to quash the vesting of land and a writ of Mandamus to compel divestiture of the same property, pursuant to Section 39A(1) of the Land Acquisition Act No. 09 of 1950, arguing that the land was no longer required for public use. The decision held that discretionary authority conferred to the Minister under Section 39A is not ame