Kasun leewantha Ratnayake vs W. S. Senaratne – CA 351/1998-2011

The case between Kasun Jeewantha Ratnayake (a minor, by next friend R. M. Jayasekera) and W. S. Senaratne addressed whether an ex-parte judgment entered against the Defendant by the District Court of Badulla should be set aside due to alleged improper service of summons and whether the Defendant-Appellant demonstrated reasonable grounds for default under Section 86(2) of the Civil Procedure Code. It was held that substituted service of summons was procedurally proper and the Defendant failed to justify the default, reaffirming the principle that ex-parte orders passed due to a party’s default are not to be disturbed absent valid excuse. This decision relied on the Civil Procedure Code and emphasized that procedural compliance for substituted service suffices to uphold default judgments, re