Jayawardene Liyanage Gunadasa v. Narangodage Amarapala – 494/99 F -1999

In the case between Jayawardene Liyanage Gunadasa (Plaintiff, now substituted by Gamekankanamge Gunawathie and others) and Narangodage Amarapala (Defendant, now substituted by Indra Josephine Jayasinghe and others), the court considered whether the defendant’s occupation of the disputed premises was as a tenant of the owner V. Thillairajah or merely as a licensee under the plaintiff, who was herself the tenant. It was held that occupation by the defendant was permitted solely on the leave and license of the plaintiff, who, having established tenancy under the admitted owner, retained the authority to seek ejectment of a licensee notwithstanding lack of title to ownership. The court reaffirmed the principle that a licensee or tenant in possession may not dispute the licensor or landlord’s t