Wijewickrama Kadawatha Gam Jayathissa vs Divisional Secretary – C A PHC/150/2011-2018

In the case between Wijewickrama Kadawatha Gam Jayathissa (petitioner-appellant) and Divisional Secretary, Divisional Secretariat, Pasgoda with others (respondent-respondents), the court addressed the issue of the Provincial High Court’s jurisdiction to grant writs concerning the alienation of state land under Article 154P(4)(b) of the Constitution. It was held that such jurisdiction does not extend to matters of state land alienation, as these subjects do not fall within the Provincial Council List. The decision reaffirmed the legal principle that Provincial High Courts cannot issue writs where the subject matter pertains to state land outside the scope of devolved powers. The reasoning relied on the Supreme Court’s precedent in Superintendent, Stafford Estate v. Solaimuthu Rasu and the i