Thennakoon Mudiyanselage Gunathillake v. Aluthge Wijedasa – CA PHC/162/2002-2002

In the case between Thennakoon Mudiyanselage Gunathillake (Respondent-Petitioner-Appellant) and Aluthge Wijedasa, Divisional Secretary, Divisional Secretariat, Kantale (Complainant-Respondent-Respondent), the court addressed the issue of whether an appeal filed outside the statutory 14-day time limit against a Provincial High Court judgment upholding an eviction order under the State Lands (Recovery of Possession) Act is maintainable. It was held that appeals from the High Court must strictly comply with the time limits prescribed by law, and failure to do so deprives the court of authority to entertain the appeal. The principle reaffirmed is that strict adherence to statutory appeal periods is mandatory and any deviation threatens the integrity of the judicial process. The decision relied