Poththewela Kankanam Gamage Weerasekara vs D Ranaweera Former Divisional Secretary, Dikwella Divisional Secretariat – CA WRIT 143/2013-2017

In Poththewela Kankanam Gamage Weerasekara v. D Ranaweera (Former Divisional Secretary, Dikwella Divisional Secretariat) and others, the court addressed the lawfulness of compensation awards for three lots of land (Lot Nos. 16, 17, and 42) acquired by the State under the Land Acquisition Act. The legal questions centered on whether the procedure mandated by section 10(3) of the Act—namely, the referral of compensation disputes to the District Court—was followed, and whether decisions by the Divisional Secretary were ultra vires in the absence of such referrals. Additional issues included the applicability of laches and the Petitioner’s alleged suppression of relevant litigation. The holding established that, for Lot 17, statutory procedure was duly observed by referral to the District Cour