K.H.M. Appuhamy Piyarapana v. Commissioner of Land Settlement – CA WRIT APPLICATION 291/2016-2016

In the case between K.H.M. Appuhamy Piyarapana and K.H.M. Sudu Menika (Petitioners) and the Commissioner of Land Settlement and others (Respondents), the court addressed the timeliness and sufficiency of legal grounds in challenging a land settlement order. It was determined that the petitioners delayed for four years after becoming aware of the settlement certificate before seeking judicial relief, with no satisfactory explanation provided for this delay. The outcome reaffirmed the principle that writ jurisdiction will not be exercised where there is an unexplained and inordinate delay, particularly following the issuance of a final settlement order under the Land Settlement Ordinance. This decision relied on the application of procedural law governing writ remedies, emphasizing the neces