Thilina Nilupul Gunarathne De Silva Vs. National Live Stock Development Board and others – CA WRIT APPLICATION 12/2012-2012

In Thilina Nilupul Gunarathne De Silva v. National Live Stock Development Board and others, the court addressed the legal issue of whether a petitioner in occupation of state land under a 15-year agreement with a state-owned entity could be evicted through a quit notice issued pursuant to the State Land (Recovery of Possession) Act. It was held that the agreement between the petitioner and the 1st respondent was not in compliance with legal requirements, was not properly notarized, and did not vest legal authority for occupation or confer a leasehold interest enforceable in law. The principle reaffirmed was that only the President had the authority to grant long-term leases of state land and that defective agreements not executed in accordance with law were unenforceable. The decision reli