Rev: Passara Upananda vs S.A. Violet Menika – CA NO: 541/97-1997

The case between Rev. Passara Upananda, Viharadhipathi & Trustee, Passara Raja Maha Viharaya, Passara, and S.A. Violet Menika concerned entitlement to possession and declaratory relief regarding a disputed paddy field. The court held that the Plaintiff, as trustee for the temple, is entitled to possession of the land, damages, and related relief, reaffirming the evidentiary principle that possession and identification of a land parcel can be established through documentary evidence and unchallenged court-ordered surveys. This decision relied on testimony from the tenant cultivator and the official surveyor’s plan under the Buddhist Temporalities Ordinance, emphasizing that proper legal process and uncontested evidence can conclusively determine land identity and entitlement.

P.R. Walgama,