Ilaperuma Arachchige Francis Appuhamy vs. Padmawathi Rathasamy Nee Thambirajah et al. – CA APPEAL NO. 1072/99 F -1999

In the case between Ilaperuma Arachchige Francis Appuhamy (now substituted by Padma Rohini, Indra Rohini, and Lalitha Rohini) and Maheswari Rajaratnam (4A Defendant-Appellant), Ratnagedera Appuhamy, and others, the court addressed a dispute regarding the share allocation and entitlement to buildings on the partition of Ambagasthenna Estate. The key legal issue centered on the interpretation of Deed No. 62/364 (P20), specifically whether it conveyed the entirety of 209 perches or only 1/3 of that extent to the 5th Defendant. It was held that the deed unambiguously conveyed only 1/3 of the 209 perches, thereby increasing the 4A Defendant-Appellant’s share and entitlement to particular buildings, while reducing the 5th Defendant’s entitlement. This determination reaffirmed the principle that