Centre for Environmental Justice vs. Land Commissioner General and Others – CA WRIT/502/2021-2022

In the case between Centre for Environmental Justice (Guarantee) Limited and G. D. Keerthi Gamage (Land Commissioner General) among other government officials, the court addressed the lawfulness of Ministry Circular No. MWFC/1/2020 and related documents concerning the management and classification of “Other State Forests.” The primary relief sought included the issuance of writs of Certiorari and Mandamus to quash the impugned circulars and compel action against forest destruction under Section 20 of the Forest Ordinance. The findings established that the underlying Cabinet decision was not challenged and that futility could arise from granting writs where clarifications in a subsequently issued letter (‘X1’) addressed the Petitioners’ principal concerns. It was reiterated that relevant au