Wedasinghe Arachchige Dinesh Udaya Kumara Wedasinghe Vs. Dompe Pradeshiya Sabhawa Kirindiwela and others – CA WRIT APPLICATION NO.45/2018-2018

In the case between Wedasinghe Arachchige Dinesh Udaya Kumara Wedasinghe (Petitioner) and Dompe Pradeshiya Sabhawa, Kirindiwela, and others (Respondents), the court addressed the entitlement of the petitioner to writs of mandamus compelling the granting of trade licenses for the operation of a metal quarry for two periods — from 20.09.2017 to 19.12.2017 and for the year 2018. The findings established that a writ for the lapsed period was futile, as retrospective relief could not be granted, and the application for 2018 was procedurally deficient due to the absence of a contemporaneous application prior to the court proceedings. The principle was reaffirmed that relief will not be granted for futile or procedurally misconceived applications. The dismissal was grounded in the requirement th