Athauda Arachchilage Punci Appuhamy v. Athauda Arachchilage Guneratne Menike et al. – CA 242/99 F -2015

The case between Athauda Arachchilage Punci Appuhamy (plaintiff-appellant) and Athauda Arachchilage Guneratne Menike (deceased) and others (defendant-respondents) addressed the issue of title to certain lots of land, and whether the defendants acquired prescriptive title by adverse possession. It was held that the plaintiff had established paper title, and that the defendants failed to satisfy the requirements for acquisition of title by prescription under the Prescription Ordinance. The legal principle reaffirmed is that the burden to prove adverse possession shifts to the party asserting prescription once paper title is established; mere occupation or minor acts are insufficient to satisfy statutory criteria for prescriptive title. The decision relied on established Sri Lankan authoritie