Udula Nayani Anamika Upawansha vs National Housing Development Authority – CA/WRT/365/21-2024

In the case between Udula Nayani Anamika Upawansha (Plaintiff) and the National Housing Development Authority and others (Defendants), the court addressed whether a legitimate expectation existed to obtain a title deed for Lot No. 194, which was previously part of a public servant housing scheme. It was determined that the plaintiff’s claim, based on historical payments and representations, could not grant an entitlement to the title deed due to statutory and policy restrictions concerning marshy land classified for Crown purposes. The court reaffirmed that statutory provisions under the National Housing & Development Act and Sri Lanka Land Reclamation and Development Corporation Act preclude transfer of such land, emphasizing that administrative promises cannot override explicit legislati