Devakumar Ragith Hettiarachchy and Palithawadana Arachchige Rienzie Pascal Christopher Perera vs Jeevan Kumaranatunge and Sri Lanka Land Reclamation & Development Corporation – CA 469/2009-2014

In Devakumar Ragith Hettiarachchy and Palithawadana Arachchige Rienzie Pascal Christopher Perera v. Jeevan Kumaranatunge (Minister of Agriculture, Lands and Land Development) and others, the court addressed the issuance of writs of Certiorari and Mandamus concerning State-acquired lands for flood retention under the Land Acquisition Act. At issue was whether administrative refusals to release petitioners’ lots 33 and 45, while similar adjacent lots were returned to others, constituted unreasonable and unjustified administrative action. It was determined that the differential treatment of the petitioners’ lots was unsupported by sufficient technical justification. Relief by way of Certiorari was granted, quashing the adverse administrative decisions, while the request for Mandamus was refus