Harischandra Senarath Rathnayake v Director General, Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority – CA PHC 167/2017-2017

In the case between Harischandra Senarath Rathnayake (Appellant) and the Director General, Sri Lanka Mahaweli Authority (Respondent), the issue concerned the jurisdiction of the Provincial High Court of Embilipitiya to entertain a revision application related to State lands. It was held that the Provincial High Court misapplied the law by relying on the Supreme Court decision in Superintendent, Stafford Estate & Others v. Solaimuthu Rasu [(2013) 1 S.L.R 25], which restricts writ jurisdiction but does not limit revisionary or appellate jurisdiction over State lands under Article 154P(3)(b) of the Constitution. The judgment reaffirmed that revisionary jurisdiction in terms of Article 154P(3)(b) may be exercised in State land matters, distinguishing it from writ jurisdiction under Article 154