Kodituwakku Estates (Pvt.) Limited vs Hon. Anura Priyadharshana Yapa – CA 827/2005-2013

In the case between Kodituwakku Estates (Pvt.) Limited and Hon. Anura Priyadharshana Yapa, Minister of Plantation Industries, the court addressed whether the Petitioner was entitled to writs of Mandamus, Certiorari, and Prohibition regarding the proposed lease of Midland Estate, Rattota, purportedly based on legitimate expectation from official representations. It was held that the Petitioner did not possess a legal right to the lease, as the required procedures, including adherence to public tender processes, approvals, and compliance with statutory frameworks for state land alienation, were not followed. The doctrine of legitimate expectation was found inapplicable without strict legal and procedural compliance. Established legal principles on state land transactions and legitimate expec