Rupahinge Gunaratne v. Land Reform Commission – CA WRIT/270/2013-2016

In the case between Rupahinge Gunaratne (Petitioner) and the Land Reform Commission, the Chairman of the Land Reform Commission, and Hon. John Amarathunga, Minister of Lands and Land Development (Respondents), the court addressed the issue of whether an application for intervention by a third party is permissible in a writ application under the Court of Appeal Rules of 1990. It was held that such intervention is not permitted, reaffirming the principle that the Rules do not provide for intervenient parties in writ proceedings. This decision relied on the authority of recent judicial decisions, including Dilmi Kasundara Malshani Sooriyaarachchi v. Sri Lanka Medical Council, emphasizing the Court’s lack of power to permit third party intervention in such circumstances.

Vijith K. Malalagoda,