Ranathunga Jayasekara Arachchige Udaya Janaka Panditharathna vs T.L.A.Rajapaksha – 272/12-2013

In the case between Ranathunga Jayasekara Arachchige Udaya Janaka Panditharathna (petitioner) and T.L.A. Rajapaksha (Commissioner General of Land), Ravindra Wickramasinghe (Divisional Secretary, Wanathawilluwa), and another (respondents), the court addressed the withdrawal of a writ application. It was determined that, as the petitioner indicated an intention to seek administrative resolution and did not wish to proceed, and there being no objection from the respondents, leave for withdrawal was granted and the application was dismissed pro-forma without costs. This established the practice that when parties mutually agree to withdraw an application in anticipation of administrative settlement, the court may dismiss such application procedurally without considering the substantive merits.