M.J. Mendis vs Hon. Bandula Gunawardena Minister of Education – CA WRIT APPLICATION NO 0159/2013-2022

In the case between M.J. Mendis (Petitioner) and the Minister of Education along with the Divisional Secretary, Mahanuwara and Gangawatakorale, Kandy (Respondents), the court addressed the issue of whether the land subject to a Quit Notice under section 3 of the State Lands (Recovery of Possession) Act was State land or private property of the Petitioner. It was held that the application for a writ of Certiorari could not be granted due to unresolved and serious disputes of fact regarding the ownership and allocation of the land, reaffirming the principle that writ jurisdiction is inappropriate where material facts remain in dispute. The decision relied on established legal precedent and statutory interpretation of the State Lands (Recovery of Possession) Act, underlining that courts will